Causing Damage
by crypticxmetaphor
Summary: Elijah's best friend, Liz, has a lot more in common with Klaus than him so what is it that draws them together? Elijah/OC
1. Chapter 1

Elijah was only older than me by about a hundred years and for as long as I can remember we were the dynamic duo. No, that's not it: the terror twins. That's wrong too, we played good cop/bad cop too much. Okay. So he was Batman and I was Nikki Sixx.

I was supposed to meet him outside of a known vampire café, but as usual, I was running late. As I approached I saw him standing with one hand in his pocket and coins in the palm of his other. I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand, leaving streaks of blood up my wrist.

"You ask me to wait for you, but then you don't show up on time." You could hear the irritation in his voice.

"I was hungry," I shrugged and then held out my hand.

Elijah dropped one of the coins into my hand and I gripped it as I would a rock I was going to skip across a lake. Silently, he counted to three. I know most vampires could play mind games, but we regularly spoke without words. Can your best friend do that? At the same time, we threw the coins. The glass shattered. Screams and hisses permeated the air. Calmly, I watched the chaos unfold in front of us and listened to the searing flesh of the nightwalkers. Elijah used violence as a show of power;I just enjoyed it.

"Show some restraint," he scolded me.

"Have some fun," I retorted. "I'll get Slater."

"Make sure he's in one piece."

I ran around to the back entrance of the café and waited for the hordes of vampires to come rushing out. When I saw the one who was talking to Rose and Damon, I grabbed him, rushing him back to his own flat where Elijah was waiting for us with his witch. I tossed the captive at his feet, proving that he was indeed in one piece.

"Now, now, be nice to our guest."

I took a deep breath. Good cop/bad cop worked well for us, but the patronizing tone still caught me off guard sometimes. "Not my area," I grinned at the terrified vampire, still on the floor.

Elijah helped Slater up and dusted him off. "I need you to do something for me," he used his compulsion. "Call Rosemary. Tell her the curse could be ended, but they will need the moonstone. And a witch. If they get the moonstone, the witch can figure out the rest."

Slater pulled out his cell phone and called Rose. When she answered, he repeated nearly verbatim what Elijah had told him to say.

"Nicely done," I growled when he finished. I had been hoping for torture.

"I have a degree in theater," Slater told me, but then looked at my friend. "How can you compel me? A vampire can't compel another vampire."

Elijah didn't answer, only held out a wooden stake. "Now I want you to take this and drive it through your heart."

"But that would kill me forever." Slater's eyes widened.

"I know, but either you do it. Or she does."

Slater quickly grabbed the stake, obviously frightened of me. He pressed the stake into his chest until it reached his heart and he fell over backwards. His skin turned grey and you could see the veins reaching up from his neck.

"What that really necessary?" Jonas Martin, Elijah's witch showed his face.

I patted the good doctor's shoulder. "He did it as neatly as possible, trust me."

"He delivered his message," Elijah added. "It won't be long now."

"So why are you here?" I asked Jonas.

"Clearing out Slater's computer since you two are stuck in the 12th century," he answered. "I'm finished. Let's go."

The three of us cleared out as quickly as we came.

"Clean yourself up. I've found her."

I groaned and rolled over, completely covered in blood. The sheets on the mattress were soaked as well and there were three naked bodies other than mine in the room. I could hear water running, Elijah must have turned on the bath. "Fuck off," I muttered.

"You clean yourself up and I'll clean up the bodies. Deal?" He picked me up bridal style and placed me in the steaming water. "Now is really not the time to be going on benders."

"But they were so hot!" I protested. They were, you should have seen these men: strong jaws, high cheekbones, dark hair, and blue eyes. Oh my god. Damon Salvatore is my type. "One of them isn't completely drained if you're hungry," I called as I scrubbed my arms and legs, turning the water in the tub pink. "Eli!"

He appeared in the doorway, the sleeves of his button down rolled to his elbows.

I was trying to reach the center of my back with a wash cloth. "My back feels crusty. Is there blood? I can't reach."

He laughed and knelt down by the tub, taking the cloth from me. "Lean forward," he ordered.

I obeyed so that my chin touched my knees as he gently wiped the blood from me. "Thank you," I mumbled.

We arrived back at Salter's flat just behind three low level minions. Immediately, I snapped the neck of the one closest to me, gaining the attention of the others, including Rose, Damon, and the doppelganger. Rose fled, but Damon spoke.

"I killed you. You were dead," he knit his eyebrows together.

"For centuries now," Elijah replied. "Who are you?" he asked the minions.

"Who are you?" they retorted.

"I'm Elijah."

The look on their faces was priceless. They lowered their offensive stance as their jaws hit the floor. "We were gonna bring her to you. For Klaus. She's the doppelganger." The more he spoke, the more I wanted to tear his head off. "I don't know how she exists, but she does. Klaus will want to see her."

"Does anyone else know that you're here?" Elijah asked.

When they answered, no, Elijah thanked them for their helpfulness and stepped back, giving me the go-ahead to use violence. Without blinking, I tore their hearts out. I looked at Elena as she gasped. I had forgotten there was a human in the room. I began licking the blood off one of my hands, intending to frighten her even more. I felt Elijah's hand on my shoulder and we left without another word.

"Are you going to see the witch?" I asked Elijah when we were back on the street.

"Do you want to come?"

I wrinkled my nose. He knew I hated witches. They inherently hated vampires and I found it hard to like anyone I couldn't trust, or kill easily. Still, I went with him to the Martin's house. It was a typical home from what I observed, but we didn't move past their living room to be polite. We had been invited in once, but Elijah insisted on not intruding. I picked a particularly comfy looking armchair and Elijah stood by a large window as we waited for Jonas. The man entered the room and without turning to look at him, I knew he was alone. "Where's Luka?" Elijah asked.

"Asleep." Martin answered, but there was something wrong with the tone of his voice.

I glanced up at Elijah although I was sure he had caught it as well. "Your shadow spell was successful," he told the witch. "I was able to track that girl. Though I did have a little run in with one of the brothers that tried to kill me."

"I assume he didn't live to tell about it." Now, Martin was being rude.

I stood up to face him. Something Elijah's brother Klaus and I had in common was that we did not tolerate rudeness. But there was no point in harming him if he wasn't frightened of me; the fear was half the fun.

"Actually, I spared him," Elijah continued quietly. "He'd die before he let anything happen to her; they both would. She'll be kept safe."

I should have said earlier that Elijah and I were living out of a hotel between Mystic Falls and Richmond. We reclined on Elijah's bed since mine currently didn't have any sheets. "You know, I kind of miss Niklaus."

"Not Kol?" Elijah chuckled. "What about Rebekah?"

"Well, obviously, but I've kind of given up on seeing either of them again."

"And Klaus isn't going to want to see you when he finds out what we've been up to." Elijah rolled off the bed, unbuttoning his shirt. I watched as he revealed his chiseled chest and toned arms. Everyone I knew was stunning. I didn't have a flat stomach and my thighs rubbed together when I walked. And while sometimes it upset me, I never impaired my ability to seduce others. He replaced his dress shirt with a relaxed tee. He kissed my temple when he laid back down. "Goodnight, Liz." He rolled over onto his side, facing away from me.

I didn't bother changing, but rolled over onto my side as well, wrapping one of my arms around him. "Eli, why don't you have a girlfriend?"

"What could I do with a girlfriend that I don't do with you?" he answered.

"Have sex," I mumbled into his back. I loved having sex, but I didn't like attachments, so Elijah didn't bother reciprocating the question.


	2. Chapter 2

The bar I currently occupied was dark and musty and the proprietors were mostly half-naked women and men that were overcompensating. I always made sure to order fruity drinks to look more vulnerable and get my dinner on their own. My phone rang and I told the skinhead jerk that was talking to me to hold on. I had left town the other day when Elijah went to speak to the doppelganger and forbade me to cause any trouble in Mystic Falls.

"Does Damon Salvatore count as trouble?" I joked, but Damon was driven by hate and passion. He loved Elena so much that he would never stop hating Elijah and Klaus and never even look at me other than as an adversary.

"Would you like to go to party?" Elijah asked when I answered the phone.

I think it was a Mystic Falls Founders party because it was at Carol Lockwood's house, the mayor and from what I could tell, this place was obsessed with its shit history. Elijah posed as a researcher, writing a book on the smaller towns in Virginia such as Mystic Falls. I was his date.

The house was open and brightly lit and there were plenty of guests, but it didn't feel crowded. I wore a respectable, knee-length black dress with cap sleeves while Elijah wore a dark suit with a dark gray shirt.

"You should have worn a tie," I told him when I saw all the business-types there.

"I'm a writer, not an accountant," he responded, surveying the room.

Carol approached us. "Ah, you must be Elijah. It's nice to finally meet you."

"And you," Elijah shook her hand and she prompted him to tell her about the book he was supposedly writing.

I saw Damon enter and he made a b-line for us, a look of determination carved on his face. "Carol!" he went up to the mayor and kissed her cheek.

"Damon! This is Elijah," she motioned to my date.

"Such a pleasure to meet you," Damon said, grinding his teeth.

Elijah shook his hand. "Oh, pleasure's mine."

I cleared my throat. "And I'm Liz," I interjected ending the world's longest and most awkward handshake and Carol was immediately whisked away by another guest.

Damon took the opportunity to ask for Elijah's time and ushered him into Carol's office. I followed into the dark room. It was furnished with a couch and a desk that was cluttered with family photos.

"What can I do for you, Damon?" Elijah asked.

"I was hoping we could have a talk."

Elijah looked around, he was taking count of the windows and doors. "Where's Elena?"

"Safe with Stefan," Damon answered. "They're laying low. You know; bit of a werewolf problem."

"Oh, yes, I heard about that," Elijah humored him.

"I'm sure you did since it was your witch that saved the day," Damon grimaced.

Elijah grinned at him. "You are welcome."

"Which adds to my confusion of exactly why you're here," continued Damon.

"Why don't you just stay focused on keeping Elena safe and leave the rest to me," Elijah sighed.

"Not good enough." Damon stood in our way as we tried to leave.

I took him by the throat and slammed him against the wall. He tried to grip my throat as well, but I was 800 years older and 800 years stronger.

"You've got to admit, this is kinda hot," he gasped.

I only squeezed tighter.

"You can't kill me!" Damon protested. "That's not part of the deal."

"I never made a deal," I grinned. Without releasing him, I grabbed a pencil off of the desk and stabbed it into his throat causing blood to spurt. I let him go and Damon instinctively grabbed his neck.

Elijah sighed and offered me his handkerchief to clean the blood from my hand. When I was finished, I offered the cloth to Damon who pressed it to his own neck. "I am an Original," he spoke. "Show a little respect. The moment you cease to be of use to me, you'll be dead, so you should do what I say and keep Elena safe." He put a hand on the small of my back and escorted me out of the office. We found Carol, said goodbye and thank you and left.

We tracked the wolves to the Salvatore house where Damon was being chained and tortured in the living room by some backwoods wolves. Floor to ceiling windows, Persian rugs, and a velvet couch; I was surprised how lavishly the brothers lived

"Looking for this?" Elijah held out the moonstone and placed it on the table behind the sofa. "Go ahead."

A wolf rushed forward and I stepped up, plunging my hand into his chest, tearing out his heart. As he collapsed, two more attacked. Elijah and I each ripped out one of their hearts. The youngest cowered when Elijah approached, but the girl had run.

"What about you, sweetheart, huh? Take a shot," Elijah gently placed his hand on the boy's chest.

I giggled. "You sound like your brothers," I told him and received a glare.

"Where's the girl?" he asked Damon who had remained motionless, still chained, throughout the confrontation.

"It doesn't really matter." Elijah broke the boy's neck and then the chains that held Damon. "You realize this is the third time I've saved your life, now."

I picked up the moonstone and handed it to Elijah. "See you around," I winked and left with my friend.

I showed up to the Mystic Grille, literally the only place in this shit-small town that anyone ever went. And it always smelled of stale beer and fries. "Is this seat taken?" I asked sliding into a booth next to Ric, the local history teacher/vampire hunter and across from Damon and his compelled girlfriend, Annie.

"No! You're Liz, right?" Annie smiled at me. Did he compel her to be happy and bubbly too?

I look over my shoulder to see who it was Damon was waving at. Elijah had just walked in with a blonde woman I assumed was Elena's aunt Jenna. They were looking at historic points in the town today because Elijah needed to find the sight of a witch massacre for Klaus's ritual.

"So I hear you guys had quite the meeting of historical minds today," Damon said.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Jenna replied.

Uncomfortably, Ric excused himself from the table.

"We should continue this," Annie chimed in. "Let's have a dinner party!"

"Ooo my girl, full of good ideas," Damon gave her an eskimo kiss and I audibly gagged, but everyone ignored me. You think after nine hundred years, I would have some class and not act five years old. "I'll be happy to host," he continued. "Tonight, maybe?"

Pretty much everyone agreed, but I sat there quietly. I only liked dinner parties if the host was also the main course. "It'd be a pleasure," Elijah agreed as well.

"You'll be there too, right Liz?" Damon smirked at me.

"I guess I will be," I sighed, resigned to the fact that I would have to pretend to be decent.

Elijah changed into a blue shirt under his jacket and threw away a tie when I handed it to him. I wore a black dress with a skirt that flared out, unlike the hip hugging one I wore to the last party. "Everyone's going to think I'm your girlfriend," I groaned as we walked up to the Salvatore house. "This is the second time this week that I'm your date."

"Are you afraid you won't be able to find someone who will take you home with them?"

"Exactly!" I sighed, exasperated. At least he understood.

"Please, come in," Damon opened the door.

"Just one moment," Elijah paused before entering the house. "Can I just say, if you have less than honorable intentions about how this evening is going to proceed, I suggest you reconsider."

"No nothing, nothing dishonorable," Damon said, his blue eyes sparkling.

"So I'm the only one, then?" I touched Damon's chest as I brushed past him, walking inside.

"So, wait? You two aren't together?" He followed me deeper into the house.

The table consisted of Damon, Annie, Alaric, Jenna, and John Gilbert. It was an awkward powder keg. Beforehand, Elijah had informed me that Jenna was in the dark about the supernatural, so I couldn't even make jokes about murder.

"So why do you want to know the location of these alleged massacres?" Damon asked Elijah.

"Healthy historian's curiosity of course," he grinned in response.

"Of course," Damon echoed.

I ferociously stabbed at my steak. It was overcooked; it had stopped bleeding.

"How about we get coffee?" Annie suggested when we had finished eating, trying to move the women away from the men.

"You can't possibly actually like Annie?" I whispered to Damon.

"Are you offering to replace her?" he smirked.

I winked at him. "At least for a night."

His eyes roamed my body. "That could be arranged."

Before I could respond, Jenna guided me into the kitchen and I heard Damon offer cognac to the other men. Damn this night was turning out to be sexist. I thought I had left all that behind in the 50s. The three of us sat around the island in the kitchen holding mugs filled with warm coffee. I had convinced Annie to bring out some Bailey's so I could spike mine.

"So how long have you known Elijah?" Jenna asked.

I almost choked on my drink. "Ah, we're only friends," I clarified.

Her eyes widened. "Oh my god! I'm sorry. I thought you were his wife!"

I laughed so hard I almost fell of my stool. "Elijah only does long-term relationships, but hasn't dated in years and I don't do relationships at all. I like men who take me home and then let me sneak out before coffee."

"I always thought that's what Damon wanted," Jenna commented, looking at Annie.

She shrugged. "Just it just takes the right woman to change a man's mind."

"Oh we forgot dessert!" Jenna cried.

I stood offering to help her, not paying any mind when Ric came in and out of the kitchen. Annie exited with him, but I stayed with Jenna. She was making blackberry crumble. Then I heard a struggle in the dining room; too quiet and quick for her human ears. I rushed back to the dining room. Elijah was in his chair, desiccated with blood pooling on the left side of his shirt. Behind him, Ric stood holding a silver dagger. How the hell did he get one of Klaus's daggers? I felt the growl in the back of my throat, but I never heard it. I was in front of Ric and then he was on the floor with a broken neck. How fucking dare he try to hurt Elijah. I picked up Elijah's body and threw him over my shoulder.

"You are all dead," I hissed and ran from the house, bringing Elijah back to the hotel room.

It didn't take long for him to wake up once the dagger was removed, but I waited by his bedside.

"I'm going to get Elena," he declared when he regained consciousness.

I stood up with him. "She's at the lake house. Let's go."

"No, this is something I must do alone. Thank you." He kissed my forehead and left without bothering to change out of his bloodstained shirt.


	3. Chapter 3

I waited at the hotel, but he never returned. How the hell was I supposed to go on fun killing sprees if my partner wasn't going to be there to pick up after me? Half the fun was convincing him to go bad anyway. In the morning, I showed up at the Salvatore house, nearly breaking down the door as I knocked. It was Damon who answered the door. "Where is Elijah?" I growled.

"Gee, I don't know."

"Fuck you, Damon! I know you have him!" I yelled.

"Sorry. Can't help. Wish I could. See you later." He shut the door in my face.

I yelled as I stomped away. I walked back to the hotel at a human pace. The first stranger I saw on the street was a tall girl with large hips. Her black hair hung past her waist. I flung her against the wall of a building and tore into her throat. The blood was sweet, but it didn't make me feel better. I kept drinking until there was nothing left. I was careless to leave the body in broad daylight. I was too angry to care, though. It was the same feeling every time I lost Elijah; the anger. Klaus forgave Elijah the easiest, so it wasn't often he had a dagger in his chest, but when he did I couldn't piece my thoughts together. My heart boiled and rage would rise up in my throat.

"You were foolish today." The door to the hotel room flung open, revealing Alaric.

I jumped up, ready to attack. "What do you want, Ric?"

"Oh, luv, I'm not going to hurt you," he chuckled.

I relaxed my stance. "Niklaus?"

"The Salvatores have Elijah," I told Klaus as we sat at the hotel bar. "I don't know how, but they have a dagger."

"I know, luv," he told me. "We'll get him back in time."

"In time?" I yelled. "He's your brother!"

"Maybe this wouldn't have happened if you were actually his girlfriend," he growled back. "He would have kept you by his side."

I kicked his barstool over, spilling him onto the ground. In a flash, I was leaning over him. "Well I'm not. Bex made the wrong choice. What are you going to do about it?"

He didn't react at all, although I expected him to snap my neck. I stood and went back to the room. I knew Klaus wouldn't help because we all had our own agendas; Elijah and I were going to betray him in the first place. Maybe the witches would figure something out.

A few days later, I still hadn't figured out how to get Elijah back when I received a phone call from him. "Wow, thanks for letting me know you're alive," I growled.

"I swear, I called the first chance I got," he said on the other end of the line. "I'm at the Salvatores. I need you here, we're discussing the plans for tonight."

In a moment I was there and Damon let me inside this time. Elijah stood in the living room, wearing a subtle pinstripe suit with a dark blue shirt. Stefan and Elena sat on the couch so I picked a rather lavish arm chair to occupy.

"At this point, we have to assume Klaus is prepared to break the curse," Elijah said after greeting me with only a nod.

"I saw him a few days ago. He was in Alaric's body, though you probably already knew that," I mumbled, annoyed at not being in the loop.

Damon offered up Bonnie the witch's life to kill Klaus.

"That's not an option," Elena reminded him.

I sat quietly because I didn't actually want Klaus dead. I enjoyed his company. In fact, I wanted the Mikaelsons to be a family. They could wreak some serious havoc.

Elijah produced an old wooden box. "This is an elixir I acquired some five hundred years ago for Katarina. It possesses mystical properties of resuscitation."

I remembered the crystal bottle. When Katarina was still human, in 1492, Elijah had developed a crush on her. It was too bad she turned herself into a vampire and became a bitch.

"So I'll be dead…" Elena began.

"…and then you won't," I sighed, completing the obvious sentence.

"That's your plan?" Damon asked, doubtful. "A magical potion with no expiration date? What about John's ring?"

Elijah sighed. "Those rings only work on humans. The doppelganger is a supernatural occurrence; odds are the ring won't work." I'm sure he was getting tired of answering obvious questions.

"I'll take those odds over your elixir," he was adamant. "What if it doesn't work, Elena?"

"Then I guess I'll just be dead," she shrugged.

Her boys were speechless and so was I. She so readily accepted death. I was nine hundred years old and not ready to stop living.

Elijah knew I was thinking that would be good because we could end all of this and I received one of his familiar glares.

Just then, Alaric entered the house. Jenna, who I hadn't noticed, aimed a shotgun at him. "No! No! It's me! Klaus let me go!"

After proving himself, Damon was still skeptical. "So why did he let you go?" he knit his eyebrows together.

"He wanted me to deliver a message," Ric said. "The sacrifice happens tonight."

Elijah took a moment to pull me aside when everyone was fussing over Elena. "What did Klaus talk to you about?"

"He blamed me for you getting daggered," I told him. "He reminded me the only reason I'm a vampire in the first place is because Rebekah wanted us to be together. He makes me feel like a pet."

He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Relax, he only says such things to agitate you…"

There was a commotion upstairs and he was listening in. Damon ran back into the living room, clearly upset while Elijah returned the elixir to its box.

"I take it you won't be needing this anymore," Elijah said. "Feeding her vampire blood rendered it useless. Tell Elena I'll be back before nightfall; we'll proceed as planned."

"We both know that elixir wouldn't have worked anyway," Damon grumbled as he poured himself a drink.

The two of us turned to leave as Elijah replied. "The problem, Damon, is you talk a good game, but you don't actually know anything. She'll never forgive you, and never for a vampire is a very long time."

We spotted Klaus walking into the Mystic Grille. "Watch him," Elijah murmured.

I nodded and loitered out front of the establishment, openly defying the sign in the window meant to discourage teenagers like me. There is no use in denying that I was perpetually a rebellious sixteen year old.

It wasn't long before Klaus exited. He spotted me and immediately grabbed me by the back of the neck. "I ought to kill you," he growled.

"I remind you too much of yourself," I grinned at him.

His lips crashed into mine, his tongue forcing my lips apart. I kissed him back and grabbed at his shirt. Eventually I was able to get my thoughts in order. "What the hell was that?" I pushed him off.

"I thought maybe Elijah had tried and just didn't enjoy you. Now I see he just never tried," he smirked at me.

"Fuck off," I growled.

The smirk never left his face. "Want to try again?"

I kissed him just as roughly as he kissed me. He pulled me into the alley next to the Grille and pinned me against the bricks, grinding into me and never breaking the kiss. His hand found his way underneath my skirt and I let him inside. He finished inside of me and I leaned against him for support, breathing heavily. Klaus panted into the crook of my neck.

"I know you'll always be loyal to my brother, but you've got to admit that was fun," he said.

I laughed and pushed him off. It was fun and I'm glad he wasn't trying to attach strings.

I went with Klaus to the sacrifice. His witch trapped the three parts of the ritual in rings of fire and I picked a tree with a good vantage point to park my ass. I leaned against the oak's trunk where the branch parted from it to watch the scene unfold before me. Live deaths were better than the movies.

"Hello my lovelies," Klaus approached the trinity. "Are we ready?"

He ripped the wolf's heart out of her chest and dropped it into the fire where the witch was chanting. Then, it was the vampire's turn to die; Elena's Aunt Jenna. I couldn't help but enjoy Elena's begging.

"I did everything you asked," she cried. "I didn't run."

I was gearing up to watch Klaus disregard her and kill Jenna, but Stefan appeared, interrupting the sacrifice. I looked around for Elijah, but didn't see him. I dropped from the branch, gracefully landing on my two feet. I ran around the perimeter until I found him hiding in the shadows of the tree line.

"You reek of Niklaus," he told me.

"You're the one who told me to watch him," I shrugged. "So what's the plan?"

"Stay here," he ordered. "Out of the way. This is my fight."

I was distracted by the sound of bones breaking. I looked to see Klaus beginning to transform. At the same time I saw Bonnie approach him, twisting his body with her hand. His screams hurt my ears and I pushed Elijah towards him, hoping he would stop the torture. Bonnie ended it herself as Elijah stood looming over his brother's body.

"Elijah," Klaus gasped.

"Hello, brother," he replied and plunged his fist through Klaus's chest. "In the name of our family, Niklaus…" Elijah growled.

"I didn't bury them at sea!" Klaus pleaded.

I stuck a finger in my ear and tried to clean it out. Was he lying now? Or was he lying earlier when he killed Kol in the 1890s and Bekah in the 20s?

"Their bodies are safe," Klaus breathed. "If you kill me, you'll never find them."

"Elijah!" Stefan called. "Don't listen to him."

"I can take you to them," Klaus countered. "I give you my word, brother."

"Do it and I'll take you both out," Bonnie threatened.

Elijah deliberated for a moment and then spoke. "I'm sorry," he told Stefan.

Then, He picked Klaus up and ran away, leaving me alone with the Bennett witch and Stefan. I assessed the situation on my own and decided it wasn't worth the fight. Bonnie would die channeling all those witches' powers, but she didn't seem to care. I ran as well, but to Klaus's apartment instead of the hotel room. Eventually they would turn up. I slammed the door shut and nearly jumped out of my skin when I noticed someone watching me. I looked up to see Katarina and grimaced.

"He's still alive, then?" she asked.

"Obviously," I retorted and then sent Elijah a text. _Let me know when Klaus is bipedal again._

"Are you really going to babysit me until he gets back?" she grimaced.

"Well, I have nothing better to do," I answered. "I've kinda spent my entire life following those boys around."

"I know," she flopped onto the couch. "And people say I play brothers."

A second later my hand was at her throat. "Just because Niklaus has kept you alive, doesn't mean I will," I hissed.


	4. Chapter 4

"Klaus!" Stefan Salvatore stepped through the door.

"He's not here," Katarina answered.

Immediately after his arrival, the door clicked open again. "Ah, Niklaus, you're back. You'll never guess who's here," I smiled.

Katarina offered up Stefan and you could see the shock and anger on his face. "You just keep popping up, don't you?" he said.

"I need your help," Stefan said. "For my brother."

"Well, whatever it is it's going to have to wait. You see, I have an obligation to my brother that requires my immediate attention," Klaus responded.

"You understand how important family is, or you wouldn't be here," Elijah said to Stefan. "My brother gave me his word that he would reunite me with my own."

"And so I shall." Klaus appeared behind Elijah and shoved the dagger through his heart.

As Elijah screamed I tackled Klaus. "No!" I yelled and clasped my hand around his throat. "How could you?"

"You will get him back in time," Klaus pried me off of him. "But that is an awful lot of care for someone you're not in love with."

I snarled at him. "You're a fool if you think I believe in romance. But I spent my whole life with your family. I can't help, but to care."

"I ought to kill you too. You went along with Elijah while he plotted my death."

I smirked at him. Klaus never did more than break my neck no matter how many times he threatened my death. "Call me when you're not the only Original standing." I left the apartment, not looking back.

I opened my eyes to the bright sun streaming in through the hotel window. The naked man next to me, his eyes fluttered open. Hmm, that was an oversight on my part. I hastily bit down on his neck, draining him of his remaining blood. The woman that came with him was long dead on the floor, also nude. I enjoyed playing with my food before I ate. I wrapped myself in one of the robes the hotel provided and looked around the room; it was a wreck. It looked like I had slaughtered more than one couple and I hadn't even wasted that much blood. There was a pounding at my door, which I barely heard over the loud rock n roll music that had been playing all night.

"Excuse me, miss," one of the hotel staff greeted me when I opened the door. "But the other guests have been complaining about the loud music. I have to ask you to turn it down."

"Tell them they can shove it," I compelled him to leave. When he walked away I noticed a newspaper at my door. Curious, I picked it up. It was the LA Times. So, I thought, I have killed my way across the entire country. I kicked the door shut as I turned back into the room. "Where to next?" I asked aloud. I wasn't even sure how I had gotten to California, but I knew it had been fun. Elijah would have been ashamed. Luckily he wasn't there to spoil my fun. I tossed aside the paper as my phone rang.

"What?" I asked; it was Klaus.

"I'm not the only Original," he said. "Rebekah is awake and asking about you. We're in Chicago."

I hadn't seen my creator in over ninety years, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to deal with Klaus being difficult. In the end, Bex won out and I began making my way back East.

I found them in a shop where Rebekah was shopping for new clothes. Stefan was there, too, but I didn't ask why. Klaus was reclining and drinking champagne, but I didn't see Rebekah. I couldn't help myself and straddled his waist. "So are you going to kill me or not?" I asked.

Klaus grinned, resting his hands on my thighs. "Not yet, Liz."

"Elizabeth!"

I turned to see Rebekah, scantily clad. "Bex!" I cried and got off of her brother and went to hug her.

"Did you two sleep together?" she asked, appalled.

"Well, there wasn't really any sleeping," Klaus chuckled.

"Don't worry," I told her. "It wasn't good enough to happen again."

"Good," she said. "Because you belong with my other brother."

I ignored her sentiment, but took the opportunity to point out the obvious; Elijah wasn't here. "Who is currently lying comatose in a wooden box." I glared at Klaus.

"One problem at a time, dear," Klaus held up his hands in surrender. "Shall we, Stefan?"

The two men departed. I had been lured here to shop with Rebekah, but I could think of worse ways to spend the afternoon. Even if it was filling Rebekah in on ninety years of information and disappointing her that Elijah and I, while inseparable, held no romantic notions for each other.

"I don't get what they big deal is," I told her. "We're friends and we balance each other out. Isn't that enough?"

"No!" she sighed. "Elijah needs a lover to be happy and I wanted him to be happy! You're the perfect lover _because_ __you balance him out."

Klaus moved us back to Mystic Falls and I was excited. I was used to being Elijah's muscle; he would let me loose on his enemies. Klaus always appreciated my ferocity so I was hoping he would let me do some killing and cause some havoc in the town.

"The high school? Really, Niklaus?"

"Just wait for your cue; this is going to be fun," he smirked.

I went to the gym where kids were covering the floor in cups of water. I chased them out, compelling two to stay put for later. Whomever I could catch was mine. I tore out their throats, not killing them, but causing them enough pain to render them immobile. The newspaper would probably say a wild animal found its way into the school. There were at least a dozen delicious victims. Any who made it out of the building, I let go. When I returned to the gym, Klaus had found Elena and brought her to the gym.

I looked at the boy and girl who were waiting for my return. "Lift your foot," I compelled the girl. "Now, if she drops her foot; I want you to beat her to death," I commanded of the boy.

"You don't have to hurt anybody!" Elena protested.

"Of course she does," Klaus laughed. "That's _what_ she does."

Klaus was right; this was going to be fun. Elijah hadn't even crossed my mind. Minutes passed and the girl began to cry. "Keep it up," I encouraged her.

"Where's Stefan? What did you do to him?" Elena asked.

"Stefan's on a time out," Klaus explained.

Just then Bonnie and a human wandered in. "Bonnie get out of here!" Elena called.

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd show up," Klaus appeared behind her. "Now we can get started. Liz."

I let the girl put her foot down, but didn't let them leave.

"I assume you're the reason Elena's still walking around alive?" He asked her.

"That's right," Bonnie said. "You wanna blame someone; blame me." The girl was either very brave or extraordinarily foolish.

"There's no need for blame, luv, just your witchy interference seems to have caused some undesirable side effects and since you caused the problem, I'm going to have you find the fix," Klaus spoke pleasantly as if he had just rung her doorbell and wondered if she had a moment to talk about her lord and savior Jesus Christ. There was a pause in his monologue when Bekah entered with a captive Tyler Lockwood. "I'd like you all to meet my sister and Liz's sire, Rebekah. Word of warning, she can be quite mean."

"Don't be an ass," Bekah retorted. "At least I'm not as violent as Elizabeth."

"I'm going to make this very simple," Klaus continued. "Every time I attempt to turn a werewolf into a vampire hybrid; they die during the transition. It's quite horrible actually." He bit his wrist and forced it onto Tyler's mouth, making the wolf ingest his blood. "I need you to find a way to save my hybrids, Bonnie, and for Tyler's sake, you better hurry."

He then snapped Tyler's neck, temporarily killing him. There was a chorus of gasps from Elena and her friends. "My, you like to hear yourself talk," I mumbled under their shock.

"Watch it," he wagged a finger at me. "Well go on, get your grimoires."

Bonnie grabbed the blonde boy's hand and they ran from us. Klaus commanded Rebekah to leave as well, taking the wolf with her. It was comical as she dragged the boy twice her size across the floor.

After she left, she was soon replaced with Stefan.

"Come to save your damsel, mate?" Klaus asked, not bothering to stand and approach Stefan.

"Came to ask for your forgiveness," Stefan said. "Pledge my loyalty."

"Well you broke that pledge once already," Klaus pointed out.

"Elena means nothing to me anymore. Whatever you ask of me; I will do." A deaf man could have heard that lie.

A smile slowly spread across Klaus's face. "Fair enough. Let's drink on it. Kill them." He motioned to Elena and my captives. "What are you waiting for? Kill them."

"He's not going to hurt me!" Elena declared.

She was right because Stefan foolishly attacked Klaus.

"She means nothing to you," Klaus growled as he squeezed Stefan's throat. "Your lies just keep piling up."

"Let her go," Stefan gasped. "I'll do whatever you want. You have my word."

Klaus sighed. Once someone lost Klaus's trust, it was near impossible to ever earn it back. He looked into Stefan's eyes, compelling him. "You will not run. You will not hide. You will simply, just obey. Now kill them, Ripper."

Stefan immediately attacked the girl, tearing out her throat and then moving on to the boy.

"Where is it?" Rebekah demanded, storming back into the gym.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. Things were just getting interesting.

"She has my necklace," she handed a cell phone to Klaus.

He took a moment to look at the picture she was showing him. "Well, well, more lies."

"Where is it?" she demanded again.

"I don't have it anymore." Elena said.

"You're lying!" Rebekah was enraged. She ran at Elena and bit the girl's neck.

Klaus had to pull her away from Elena to keep her alive. "Knock it off!" he told his sister. He knelt down next to Elena and I placed my hand on his back, between his shoulder blades. "Where's the necklace, sweetheart?" he asked. "Be honest."

"I'm telling the truth!" Elena pleaded. "Kathrine stole it!"

"Katarina, of course," Klaus sighed. "Well that's unfortunate. If you had the necklace it would make things a whole lot easier for your witch, but since were doing this hard way, let's put a clock on it, shall we?" he set the scoreboard to say 20:00 and hit start. "Twenty minutes. If Bonnie hasn't found the solution by then, I want you to feed again," he told Stefan. "And this time, I want you to feed on Elena. You know you want to."

I raised my eyebrows at Klaus. "That's your third soliloquy tonight!" I told him. "You can't be mad at me for stating the truth!"

He narrowed his eyes at me. "You're in charge. No one leaves. She tries to run, Stefan, fracture her spine." He took Rebekah by the elbow and walked her out of the gym.

I lied down on the bleachers, picking the dirt out from under my fingernails. When the clock hit zero and the buzzer went off, Elena ran. Stefan chased her, but fell down as he fought the compulsion. I sighed and went after her myself. When I caught the doppelganger and brought her back, Stefan had made it to the cafeteria and staked himself in the gut to keep from hurting her.

"This is fascinating." Klaus returned. "I've never seen this before. The only thing stronger than your craving for blood is your love for this one girl. Why don't you turn it off?"

"No," growled Stefan.

"Come on. Your humanity is killing you. All the guilt must be exhausting. Turn it off," Klaus commanded.

"No!" Stefan resisted again.

"You're strong, but you're not that strong." Klaus pulled the length of wood from Stefan's body. "Turn it off."

"No!"

"Turn it off!" Klaus yelled, this time using compulsion.

"What did you do?" Elena asked in a little voice. I had forgot that I was holding on to her.

"I fixed him," Klaus answered. "I think a test is in order, don't you? Ripper, perhaps you'd like a drink from the doppelganger's neck?"

Stefan ran towards us and sank his fangs into her neck as she screamed.

Klaus filled a test tube with Elena's blood and we brought it to the classroom where Rebekah was with Tyler and Caroline. "Well the verdict's in. The Original Witch says the doppelganger should be dead."

"Does that mean we can kill her?" Rebekah asked. "I know Liz has been itching to do it."

"No. I'm fairly certain it means the opposite." Klaus offered the blood to Tyler and he drinks.

The wolf who looked awful to begin with dropped to the floor and began seizing. He screamed for a good minute, but then looked at us and growled; fangs barred and gold eyes. His mouth was still bloody and I couldn't help but think it was very Lost Boys.

"Now that's a good sign," Klaus grinned.

As requested by Klaus, I brought Elena to the hospital. I made sure she had a private room and compelled her nurse to draw her blood and store the blood bags for Klaus. He would need the blood to make more hybrids. As I was exiting the hospital I received a call from Klaus.

"I ran, luv, I'm sorry," he said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Damon went and found Mikael. I panicked. Will you stay and keep an eye on Rebekah?" he asked me.

I wasn't sure if I should agree. I couldn't have fun in a small town that had a vampire hunting council running it. Nor could I leave my sire alone. "Of course, Niklaus." Now I'd just have to find her.


	5. Chapter 5

Rebekah ambushed me outside of a coffee shop. "Did you know about this?" she gripped my shoulders and shoo me. "Did you know they're waking Mikael?"

"Niklaus said they were looking for him, but don't worry, they won't find him," I tried to calm her down.

"That's a nice sentiment, darling, but they have found him!" She cried.

My eyes widened. I thought they were bluffing and that Klaus was overreacting. I embraced Rebekah. "It's alright. We'll be alright."

"No! No it's not!" She pushed me away. "What do I do Elizabeth?"

"For now, you're going to go home and worry about a dress for the homecoming." I sent her back to the Salvatore house where she had been staying. They wouldn't let her get hurt unless they wanted Klaus to renew his efforts to kill them.

"You'll be at the dance, right? I want you at the dance."

I had found myself a tight, black, strapless dress that I had paired with knee-high leather boots. Earlier I had received a text from Klaus: _Dance canceled. Party at Lockwoods. Caution._ I was no longer dreading the dance. I skipped high school and college even though Klaus has earned several degrees. When I wanted to learn something, I went to a library.

Tyler Lockwood's house was insane. There was barely enough space in the house and on the lawn for all the guests. He had constructed a stage to house a full band that was actually pretty good. He arrived late, as expected.

"Good evening, everyone!" He announced from the bandstand. "I want to thank you all for being here to celebrate. It's been a long time coming."

It was, by far, the best wake I had ever been to. I was dancing with a beautiful girl with caramel skin and chocolate eyes. As our hips grinded together, I saw Klaus walk by, speaking to Stefan.

"Niklaus!" I called over the music. "If Mikael is dead…"

"Elijah and Kol will be woken," he told me. "Are you sure you want him back? He might try to curb your partying."

"We'll see," I winked at him and turned my attention back to the girl.

I noticed him first because he was too old to be there. Was he someone's parent? "Hello, ladies," he approached me and my new friend. He spoke in soft English accent and my heart almost stopped. He was Klaus and Rebekah's parent. "Don't panic," he said. Oddly, I felt myself relax. Why was I relaxing? Mikael was here to kill my only friends.

The next thing I remembered, Mikael was burning as Klaus stood over him. I looked on from a crowd of hybrids Klaus had made while he was away. "Niklaus!" I rushed towards him; unsure of what I had done or what had happened, but I couldn't get inside the house. Tyler never actually invited me in. "I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright, luv," he tried to smile as he wiped tears from his face. I stood awkwardly in the doorway and watched as he turned to Stefan. "You, my friend, no longer have to do as I say; you're free."

There was a pause and then Stefan was gone. Klaus turned back to me, looking a bit disappointed. "Come, luv," he exited the house. "We have many things to do."

We reached the moving van as Klaus waited for Rebekah to pick up her phone. The door to the back of the van slid up revealing absolutely nothing.

"Niklaus!" I yelled.

He held up a finger to silence me; Stefan was on the phone. I grabbed the finger in front of my face and pushed it back with a sickening snap. He screamed in pain, but didn't stop listening to Stefan.

"One day I will kill you, luv," he growled, eyes flashing gold. "Go find Rebekah."

I kissed the tip of his nose and skipped off the Mystic Grille. Damon and Ric were in their fixed positions at the bar. "Hello, boys."

"Really? Did Klaus send you to kill us?" Damon's upper lip curled at the sight of me.

"Actually, the funny this is, Rebekah seems to be missing. I was only wondering if you've seen her."

"Nope. Sorry. Can't help." He took a swig of his drink.

I knitted my eyebrows together. "What about your brother? He seems to have stolen something from Niklaus."

"Haven't seen him," Damon answered again.

I grabbed the collar of his shirt and hissed in his face. "I don't appreciate being lied to." I let him go and walked out of the Grille.

"Damon knows something," I called Klaus. "But he won't tell me."

"That's alright; I'm about to pay him a visit if you'd like to join."

We didn't knock and when we walked in, Damon was drinking Bourbon in his living room. I loved the old houses without overhead lights.

"I think it's about time we had a drink, don't you?" Klaus approached the elder Salvatore brother.

"I'd say we're overdue," Damon turned around to face us. "Ah, Liz, what do you say we ditch blondie over there?"

I barked out a laugh. "You missed your chance. Now you reek of love for that human; it's pathetic and disgusting."

"By all means, don't sugarcoat it." Damon finished his drink.

"I just want my friends back." I clicked my tongue off the roof of my mouth. "But you've been busy plotting and scheming."

"You know me; never miss a chance to plan an epic failure," Damon said.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Klaus smirked. "Who would've guessed your own brother would betray you?"

"Well, I did have a front row seat when your sister lied to you," retorted Damon.

Klaus's face fell. "Yeah, well, she's fickle that one. And you say you have no idea of her whereabouts."

"That's the thing with younger siblings; you just never know what they're gonna do," Damon shrugged. "Why are you so mad at my brother? He stole something?"

"My family; the Originals. I had them daggered, boxed up, waiting the day I saw fit to wake them and he went in and pinched the bloody lot."

Klaus accepted the drink Damon offered him. He offered me a drink as well which I took.

Damon laughed. "Of course he did. Such a buzz kill, my baby bro. I'd love to find him, just the problem is, I sure as hell don't work for you."

"Perhaps I wasn't clear enough when I told you to find Stefan and well, it seems you people respond best to displays of violence. Why don't you take this as an example of my reach." Klaus dialed a number on his phone and handed it to me.

"Hey, so that thing I told you to do?" I said when Jeremy Gilbert answered the phone. "Why don't you go ahead and get on with it." I ended the phone call knowing the teen would be wandering into traffic momentarily. Damon would find Stefan if it meant keeping Elena's family alive.


	6. Chapter 6

Klaus had begun building his house on the outskirts of Mystic Falls. He designed it himself, with seven bedrooms. I assumed it was his family, plus me, plus a guest room. Of course, the sixth could've been for anyone and he was planning on me shacking up with Elijah. The last time Klaus was in college he took architecture courses so he knew how to do this perfectly and make it beautiful.

When I wandered in, Rebekah lay on a table with a dagger still in her chest. "So if you have her back, why don't you pull the dagger out?"

"Because the doppelganger told her my secret," he answered.

"And?" I prodded.

"I killed my mother," he confessed. "Not, Mikael."

My jaw dropped to the floor. I did not see that one coming. Nor did I expect him to admit it to me so casually. "Well from what I'm told she was a bitch," I shrugged. "Maybe they'll forgive you."

"And what if they don't?" His eyes began tearing up again.

I went in for an awkward hug to comfort him and he laughed.

"Don't try, luv, feelings aren't your strong suit."

"Oh thank god," I breathed as I pulled away and put a hand on his chest. "Just because I care doesn't mean I _care._ "

My eyes must have screamed my hunger because he suggested I get a drink. "You'll need to go a few towns over to get something fresh, though."

"Call me if you need me. I'll be back in a few days." I took his suggestion; I had never been good at controlling my thirst.

I walked through the front door of Niklaus's house to see that there had actually been some improvement. Not much, but there were walls. I took a left turn and saw Elijah throw Klaus, sending him through a set of French doors.

"Elijah!" I cried and jumped on him in an embrace wrapping my legs around his waist.

"Elizabetta," he breathed into my neck before setting me down.

As soon as I was out of the way, Klaus slammed Elijah into a coffee table, shattering it. "You know you have every right to be mad at me, but I kept my word. I reunited you with our family."

Elijah stood and struck Klaus, knocking him over and jolting, Kol's coffin open. Klaus pulled the dagger from his younger brother's chest and wound up to stab Elijah.

"Don't make me do this to you again, Elijah!" Klaus growled.

"Use it; I dare you," Elijah gasped with Klaus's hand around his throat. "Then you'll have Kol to deal with."

Klaus lowered the blade and allowed Elijah to stand. "Mikael is dead. I killed him with his own weapon. He's gone, Elijah, forever."

"Then why do are family remain in these coffins? Finn for over 900 years; Kol for over a century," questioned Elijah.

"Because of Stefan Salvatore. He holds the one thing keeping me from freeing them. There are things I have yet to tell you. I need you stand by my side, be my brother," Klaus spoke while recoating the dagger in ash.

"No." I rushed up to him, but it was too late, the dagger was back in Kol's chest. I looked down at the boy, feeling like I should have hit Klaus or something. "Do you think when he does wake up, he'll kill me for not trying to help him?" I asked.

Klaus laughed. "He could never kill you. He sees you as his mother."

"That didn't stop you," I growled, enraged that he was not taking the matter seriously.

His face fell. "I didn't have an Oedipal Complex," he hissed.

"Are you telling me that Niklaus was the one to kill our mother?" Elijah spoke softly.

"Yes, Elijah," Klaus rounded on him. "I killed the bitch for betraying me. She made sure I was the only one of my kind and then shut me out for her sins!"

"Well, this complicates things," Elijah responded.

"Help me destroy Stefan," Klaus told him. "And I promise you, our family will be whole again."

"I cannot hold a grudge for something you did a thousand years ago," Elijah said. "But this suit smells like death, Liz?" He held out a hand and I let him escort me from the house.

"Wait!" I called to Elijah as he went into the boutique's dressing room. He stopped and I tossed him a dark tie.

He laughed and caught it. When he emerged again, he was wearing a black suit with a navy shirt and the tie I had given him. I nodded my approval at him and we left.

"I think you need a haircut, too," I told him. Since he had accepted the tie, I wondered how far I could push him. Apparently, I could push him quite far because he did get rid of his bangs. Now, he wore it pushed up; he looked very modern and handsome.

He handed me a small piece of paper while he was sitting in the salon chair, looking humiliated. "This was in the pocket of my other jacket."

 _I think we should get together about the destruction of your brother. Xoxo Damon._

I laughed. "Are you going to meet him?"

"I am, you don't have to come," he said.

"Then I won't," I shrugged. "I don't want to kill Klaus, but you know I'll always help you."

"Thank you."

A dinner party. Elijah and Damon planned a dinner party. Klaus had compelled several pretty, young girls to wait on us in the only completely finished room in the house.

"Damon, Stefan," Klaus greeted the brothers. "Elijah tells me you seek an audience; very bold. Let's discuss the terms of our agreement like civilized men, shall we?" He motioned to the table.

There were full places settings for each of us and five chairs around the table. The glasses were crystal, the dishes; fine china, the tablecloth; silk. I hadn't eaten this well since Versailles.

"It's better to indulge him," Elijah grinned at the brothers' reactions.

"I didn't come here to eat, Klaus," said Stefan. "In fact, I didn't want to come here at all, but I was told I had to cause you would hear us out."

"We can sit and eat." A girl pulled out a chair for Klaus to sit. "Or I can reach down your throats and pull out your insides. Choice is yours."

Elijah pulled out my chair for me, letting me sit down, before sitting down himself.

The first course was painfully awkward. "So why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of our proposal," Elijah said as dessert began.

"That's very simple," Damon responded. "Klaus gets his coffin back, in exchange, he and the Original extended family leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Stefan, and Elena live happily ever after. No grudges.

"Sounds fair, brother," Elijah prompted.

"This is worse than an UN meeting," I excused myself from the table. Elijah told me that I would need to pull out the daggers on my own and wait for the family to wake up. I started with Kol, obviously, then Rebekah, and finally, Finn. I sat on the floor in the middle of the room full of coffins, and waited. It took several minutes, but eventually Kol's feet hit the floor in front of me.

"Hello, darling," he picked me up from the floor and spun me around.

When he set me back down, I put a finger to my lips, motioning for him to be silent, just as he other siblings woke up. I whispered the plan, letting him know Klaus was in the dining room and I would go in first. Then, they would follow, but Elijah and I didn't want any collateral damage. I let Kol and Finn know that he was now part werewolf so the daggers would not work; he could not be killed. I returned to the group and immediately Klaus sensed that something was amiss.

"What have you done?" Klaus asked.

"What have you done?" Elijah countered. "I've learned not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus, we're doing this on my terms now."

I turned to see what it was Klaus was looking at over my shoulder. Kol had taken his cue to appear.

"Kol!" Klaus breathed.

"Long time, brother."

Finn showed up next, holding the dagger that was in his chest just moments before. He stabbed the palm of Klaus's hand. When Klaus stood and ran, Rebekah appeared in his way.

"Rebekah," he squeaked her name.

She took her dagger to stab him in the gut. "This is for our mother," she hissed.

"You're free to go," Elijah dismissed the Savatores as Kol pinned Klaus's arms behind his back. "This is family business."

Klaus sat on the table as everyone stood around him. I stood closest to the exit; not quite a member of the family and felt like I was watching an episode of Intervention.

"I like what you've done with the place, Nik," Rebekah picked up a vase and chucked it at the wall, knocking down a painting.

"I wanted it to be for all of us," he choked out. "A place we could all call home. A place we could all be a family. None of us would ever have to be alone again."

My heart was breaking for him. The big bad wolf, choking back tears. What had I done?

"You're right," Elijah said, taking my hand. "None of us will."

"You're staying behind," Finn told him.

"We're leaving you, Nik," explained Rebekah. "Right after I kill that doppelganger wench and then you will be alone. Always and forever."

"If you run, I will hunt all of you down!" He growled.

"Then you'll become everything you hate; our father," Elijah remained the calmest of the group.

"I can't be killed! I have nothing to fear from any of you!" Now Klaus was just being pitiful.

A tall, blonde, voluptuous woman strode in, passing through as and to Klaus. I guess Stefan did get the last coffin open; this woman must have been the Original's mother.

"Do you know why I'm here?" she asked Klaus softly.

"You're here to kill me," her son answered.

She shook her head. "I'm here to forgive you."


	7. Chapter 7

Esther had decided to throw a celebratory ball in honor of the reunion of her family. I swore off balls after we returned to America. The colony of New Orleans loved parties, but being a naturally bitter person, I found all of it irksome. Elijah was dating a witch then and I spent most of my time draining locals with Klaus. In fact, Elijah hasn't had a girlfriend since Celeste died. The men were getting fitted for their tuxes in the living room while Rebekah sat on the couch.

"Rebekah, tell me how handsome I am," Kol said, twisting in front of the mirror.

"Oh, Kol, you know I can't be compelled," she replied.

"You look very handsome." I kissed him on the temple.

"Will you be my date then?" he grinned.

"Oh, I'm not going," I pulled away. "I don't do balls; especially ones where I have to behave myself."

"If you want to remain a part of this family; you will attend, but you can be my date," Elijah looked slightly amused.

I glanced over to him where he was polishing his shoes. He wore a blue shirt and a blue and green striped tie. "Lucky. Me." I joined Rebekah on the couch.

"You went after Elena!" Klaus stormed in. "What is wrong with you?"

"Here we go," Rebekah sank back into the couch.

"Do you want another dagger in your heart?" he growled at his sister.

"Again with the dagger threats," Kol chuckled. "Don't you have any other tricks?"

"Oh go back to staring at yourself," Klaus sneered.

Kol's upper lip twitched. "And who are you, my father?'

"No, Kol, but you're in my house!" yelled Klaus.

Kol approached Klaus, becoming more threatening as he closed the space between them. "Then perhaps we should go outside."

"Enough!" Esther's entrance broke them apart. "Niklaus. Come."

With his head hung, her son followed her out of the room.

Rebekah helped me pick out a black dress that laced up the back and latched in the front like a corset and had several layers of tulle in the skirt. Around the sweetheart neckline were several small crystals and I wore complimenting black gloves that rose to my elbows.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Niklaus," I told him as the guests were arriving.

"Hm? Yea," was his response.

I looked over my shoulder and followed his gaze to a blonde girl in a blue dress. "Caroline?" I scoffed. "You're trying to woo Caroline?"

"At least I haven't reached an impasse with my partner," he sneered at me and went to greet her.

"Uh, if everyone could gather please!" Elijah's voice rang through the house and crowds of people amassed in the foyer. He wore a ribbed shirt with a high collar and thin bowtie. His vest was black and his coat had traditional tails. "You know, whenever my mother brings our family together it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance. Tonight is a centuries old waltz. So, if all of you could please find yourselves a partner; please join us in the ballroom."

I waited at the bottom of the stairs to take his arm and head to the ball room. I silently counted the music in my head as I spoke to him. "The tux works for you," I told him.

"Are you ever going to quit trying to dress me?"

I ignored his question and asked my own. "Why haven't we ever hooked up?"

"When I sleep with a woman, I like her to be there when I wake up," he answered.

"So Rebekah will forever be disappointed," I laughed.

"For now," grinned Elijah.

I spun into Kol's arms when the beat changed. "It's been a hundred years since I last saw you and you're still not my sister-in-law," he said.

"Please, don't you start too," I begged. Why couldn't Rebekah be blamed for misjudging us?

"My mother is up to something," Elijah found me after the dance ended. "No one in my family forgives so easily."

"Need me to snoop?" I asked.

"No need." Elijah spotted Elena, Esther's guest of honor and excused himself to speak with her.

I spotted Kol and Rebekah plotting in a corner and went to join them. "Please tell me we're going to kill someone," I said. "I'm dying of boredom."

"Rebekah's date," Kol grinned.

Killing Elena's best friend had to be one of the worst ideas I had ever heard. "Why not massacre the whole town? There's no repercussions if they're all dead," I suggested.

"Well aren't you the ambitious one," commented Rebekah.

I shrugged. "Everyone's here."

I hadn't noticed Elijah's appearance. "Don't even think about it," he said.

"Too late," I told him. "It's been thought and spoken."

"You're impossible," he shook his head.

"I know," I smiled up at him as his mother called everyone back into the foyer for a toast.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," she began. "Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass."

I downed the half-full glass I was holding before setting it on the waiter's tray and taking the new glass like everyone else.

"It provides me with no greater joy then to see my family back together as one," Esther continued. "I would like to thank all of you for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers."

Esther raised her glass and the rest of the party mimicked her. "Cheers," they echoed. I noticed Elijah was did not take a sip of his champagne, he was watching Elena. I waited for him to drink, making sure it was okay. Elena raised the flute to her lips. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Elijah do the same and so I swigged my own, not noticing anything wrong.

"What was that?" I asked Elijah after the toast. I had thought I had heard something outside.

He had heard nothing, but I rushed out into the night anyway. He did follow and his family followed him. In the driveway lay Kol, Damon standing over him having just broken his neck. A growl ripped from my throat and I meant to attack, but was caught by Finn. He held me from behind, pinning my arms to my side.

"Relax," he whispered in my ear. "It's just a broken neck."

I stopped struggling and he let me go. Damon had left, but Kol had not yet woken up. My initial thought was to bring him into the house, but then all the human guests would panic. So, I sat in piles of my tulle and waited as the rest of the Originals went back inside to reassure the guests. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked to see Esther.

"I wanted to thank you for taking care of my boys," she said. "They needed someone to care about."

Elijah woke me up the next morning and I wondered what the point of having my own room was. "I need you to go downstairs and keep an eye on my siblings," he said. He was already dressed, wearing a black suit with a dark shirt and light gray tie.

"Why?" I yawned, fighting him for my covers that he had taken to wake me.

"Because Finn and Mother are out…"

"And you're snooping," I finished for him. "Fine," I sighed and quickly got dressed. When I was downstairs I sat on the couch horizontally with my legs over Kol. He was wearing a relaxed long sleeve, brown t-shirt and jeans. It was odd seeing him in jeans considering he was comatose when they were invented. Klaus was sitting across the way, sketching and Rebekah was nowhere to be seen.

"Well, well, well, there's our girl." He rose to greet her.

"Out of my way, Kol," she said exasperated.

"Out all night! What a scandal," he continued. "I trust you did better than that commoner. Matt, was it?"

Her upper lip curled. "If you don't shut your mouth, the next thing to come out of it will be your teeth," she threatened.

"I'm bored," Kol flopped back down in his seat. And I say flopped, but it was still graceful; another vampire perk. "Our sister is a strumpet, but at least she's having fun. I need entertainment." His eyes begged his older brother.

"What are you waiting for? Go on, have at it," Niklaus responded, disinterested.

"It's no fun to go alone. Join me, Nik" he whined. "It's the least you can do after sticking a dagger in my heart."

"Okay, why not?" Niklaus agreed. "I didn't have nearly enough to drink last night with you trying to murder Rebekah's date and all."

"Yes, please go," Rebekah said. "This house has enough men rolling around in it."

"Just like you Bekah!" Kol laughed as he left.

Rebekah threw one of her shoes at him. "Good riddance, both of you!"

I laughed falling back onto the couch. "But was he good?" I asked, wiggling my eyebrows. "It was Damon, right?"

She giggled and winked at me, but never gave an answer.

"Rebekah," Elijah emerged from upstairs, holding burnt sage in his palm.

"Not you too, Elijah," she groaned.

"I'm worried about mother, have you not noticed her strange behavior?" he said.

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "She's been dead for a thousand years. What's strange for her?"

Elijah held out the sage. "Burned sage; she was doing a privacy spell."

"You know she fancies such things. Why don't you ask Finn? He's been doting on her," Rebekah sighed.

"I don't trust Finn; he hates what we are. He always has."

"That's not true!" Rebekah protested. "And as for mother, she returned for one reason; to make her family whole. She loves us. What trouble are you looking to find?"

"He's trying to justify Nik's hatred of her," I said, earning myself a glare before he left.

I followed Rebekah upstairs so she could change out of her dress. "Do you really think Mother is up to something?"

I shrugged. "No offense, but she seems like a bitch."

"Well of course you'd think so with all the time you've spent with my brothers. Niklaus hates her and Kol doesn't remember her. I bet Elijah changed the subject every time she came up," said Rebekah.

She was completely right.

I found myself in the tunnels beneath the town, guarding Elena. Elijah had put her there as a captive to motivate the Salvatores to stop Esther's plan to kill her family. Very complicated; I know.

"Going somewhere?" I appeared in front of the doppelganger.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her eyes widening in fear.

"Not much unless you try to run, in which case; I get to kill you," I grinned.

We leaned on opposite sides of the cavern, staring at each other. "So how did you get stuck with babysitting?" she grumbled.

"I'm the most likely to follow through with killing you," I answered honestly.

"Were you always so violent?" she asked, incredulous.

"For the most part," I admitted. "Wait; you're asking how I became a vampire."

Elena shrugged. "It'll pass the time."

 _I was born in the 1100s in Italy and Liz is short for Elizabetta. Though if someone has the gall to call me by my first name, I prefer they used the Americanized, Elizabeth. I first met Rebekah after having kneed a man in the groin for trying to touch me. "I've seen you at the tavern," she said. "You flirt with the men, but here you are fighting one." "I flirt with the men I like. I don't like him. I wasn't flirting with him. And he tried to touch me," I defended myself. "Good for you," she said and then bit her lip and narrowed her eyes. "How old are you?" "uh-18?" I was caught off guard. Honestly, I should have been married and pregnant, but I never wanted any of that. "I'm about 100," she whispered. "Don't say that!" I hissed. "There are men killing and burning people they think are 'vampires.'" "You're not going to tell anyone. Not when I can make you like me," she smirked. "Like you?" I repeated. "You can be young and pretty forever with super strength and super speed." "And why don't people want to be vampires?" She laughed at my question and hugged me._

"And just like that, she turned you?" Elena was skeptical.

I shrugged. "Pretty much. Later I found out that Elijah was depressed because he's the nesting/mating type and Rebekah thought I'd be perfect for him. Which I am, just not in the girlfriend capacity."

"You're not attracted to him at all?" she tried to clarify.

I shook my head. "Don't try to get me to bond with you. I'll tell you all my secrets and then kill you even if Elijah lives, just because you know them now."

My phone beeped with a text telling me to let Elena go. Damon had broken the witch line by turning Bonnie's mother and rendering Esther's power useless.

"You can go," I announced. "It seems your boys took care of the problem."

"How did they do that?"

"Damon turned the witch's mother into a vampire," I explained. "Quite clever actually; they needed to sever the witch line and well, you can't be a witch and a vampire. In any case, you're free to go."

"Where the bloody hell is everyone?" Rebekah asked, walking into the living room. I sat on the sofa and Elijah was staring out a window, brooding.

"It's over Rebekah," he sighed.

"Where's Mother?"

"We have no mother. Only Esther and Esther was right," he said.

"What do you mean?" Rebekah was still asking questions.

"All my talk of virtue, but when it suits my needs. I kill, maim and torment or let Liz do it for me. Even today I terrorized an innocent."

"You were protecting your family, Eli," I chimed in. "Don't tear yourself up over it."

"Our mother made us vampires, she didn't make us monsters. We did that to ourselves."

I stood up, appalled. "So what about me? I'm a monster; you can't stand me? Am I not righteous enough to be your friend? Are you ashamed of everything I've done in my life? Because I'm not!"

"Elizabetta…" he tried to speak.

"No, Elijah! I don't want to change because your morals are black and white. I like being violent and apathetic and you have no right to shame me for that!"

His face showed that something was breaking, but I was angry and that was enough to banish him for the moment. I thought he might have been searching for something to say, but he turned and left instead.


	8. Chapter 8

"I can't believe this! Kol said goodbye to me, but not Elijah!"

"You did kind of bitch him out," Rebekah said.

I threw my arms up, exasperated. "I know he wasn't intentionally insulting me, but subconsciously he was saying that he didn't want me. I'm not going to apologize for standing up for myself."

"Relax, luv, go kill someone," Klaus suggested.

"Grand idea," I kissed his cheek and left to blow of some steam.

I returned from my bender that involved the entire state of Virginia and was presented with good news. "We've found a way to unlink us!" Rebekah squealed. "Nik is forcing Bonnie to reverse the spell."

"That's wonderful," I hugged her. "What do I need to do to help?"

"Well we need to hunt down our siblings and get some of their blood," Klaus didn't even bother saying hello. "And we need leverage over Bonnie."

"But we have that figured out," Rebekah explained. "Jeremy Gilbert is in Colorado so we're going to send Kol there."

Klaus produced three empty vials, having already donated some blood along with Rebekah to the cause. I picked one up. "Dibs on Kol," I called.

Rebekah sighed. "You were supposed to pick Elijah."

"Elijah doesn't want to see me."

It wasn't that hard to find Kol; we operated on the same frequency, leaving bodies scattered around. All you had to do was follow the newspaper articles about animal attacks where the victims were nearly drained of blood. I caught up with the boy in Seattle.

"Well, I figured you were off with Elijah," he chuckled when he hugged me.

"Oh we're successfully ignoring each other right now. I'm here to see you because Niklaus sent me."

He slung an arm around my shoulders. "This calls for a drink." He guided me down the street and to a dive bar.

"So you're only causing trouble; not getting into it, right?" I asked.

"Of course," he sighed. "I'm not an idiot."

"Just impulsive," I grinned at him.

"So what does my brother want?"

"He's found a way to unlink you. We only need your blood." I pulled the vial out of my jacket pocket and handed it to him. "And you need to go to Colorado."

He bit his wrist after compelling the bar tender and the only other person in there not to panic. "What for?" he asked as the blood poured into the glass vessel.

"Jeremey Gilbert. If Bonnie thinks his life is in danger, she'll do the spell," I explained.

"Alright then, looks like I'm headed to Colorado. Care to join me?" He asked, handing back the vial.

I shook it. "Can't. Have to get this back to Niklaus. Unless, of course, you want to remain linked to your siblings."

I returned to the house before Rebekah and Klaus. They teamed up to take on Finn, the only one who didn't want to be unlinked. I was left to play hostess to Sage. She was only slightly older than I was, but she actually loved the Original who made her. Finn came unceremoniously, flying through the front door, followed by his siblings. I immediately ran downstairs to be involved, but Sage remained looking down on the scene unfolding before her.

"Gather your witch," Rebekah told Klaus. "Let's get his blood and get on with it."

"You can't force me to help you," said Finn, still on the ground.

"Oh, I most likely could," Klaus grinned. "But why force when I can persuade."

Sage slowly descended the never-ending staircase. "Hello, Finn."

Finn stood and ran to her, gathering the redheaded girl into his arms.

"What do you know, true love prevails," Rebekah murmured, looking directly at me.

"It does have its uses," I responded. "Not as fun as torturing him, although it does save time." I made sure to maintain eye contact as I spoke.

"I have something to do," she turned to Klaus. "What do you need for this spell?"

"Just your blood and your blessing," he grinned. "Where are you going?"

She smirked at her brother. "I have some unfinished business with Damon Salvatore."

Klaus nodded at me. I understood the gesture that I was meant to follow her. I caught up with Rebekah just outside of the house where I tagged along to make sure she didn't get hurt.

I had pulled up a chair to where Rebekah was holding Damon. She laid down a tarp to catch his blood and hung him from bear traps around his wrists; it was brutal.

"Well look what you caught," Klaus entered the room, appraising the situation. "Trying to bleed him of vervain? Don't you think it'd be easier to hang him upside down?"

"I'm perfectly capable of inflicting pain, thank you very much," Rebekah smirked.

"Well excuse me, it's not like I have any expertise in the matter," retorted Klaus.

"Why don't you just leave us be and go and manage your witch?" I grinned sweetly.

The spell must have worked because Klaus was letting Bonnie go. She paused, looking at me when she saw Damon strung up and bleeding. "Go ahead, rescue the man who turned your mother into a vampire," Klaus mocked her and she looked away and left without another word.

It wasn't long after, though, that Stefan showed up, in an attempt to rescue his brother. "I'm here to make a deal," he told Klaus. "Eight stakes made of white oak; part of Wickery Bridge you forgot to burn."

"That's impossible," Klaus replied.

"Actually it's not," Stefan said. "Finn's dead."

"You killed my brother?" Rebekah choked out.

Stefan didn't answer her. "Damon in exchange for the last stakes that can kill you."

"How do we know there aren't any more left?" I challenged Stefan.

"Cause there aren't."

"Let's be certain, shall we?" Klaus turned to Damon. "Leave," he commanded. "Go on, leave."

"Nik! He's my plaything," Rebekah whined.

"Go home," Klaus repeated, this time using compulsion.

Damon obeyed, pulling himself from the bear traps. His screams rang in my ears as the flesh tore from his wrists.

"Alright stop. Stop, before you hurt yourself," Klaus prevented Damon from going further. "Well we see that you can finally be compelled. Now, minus the stake that's in my brother, how many stakes are out there that can kill me?"

"Eleven," Damon mumbled.

"Eleven," Klaus repeated. "Really? So, not eight then?"

I smirked at Stefan. "You really shouldn't have lied."

"I'll get you the other three," said Stefan through clenched teeth.

"Yeah, that'll be nice. Or, since you lied, I might just compel your brother to chew out his own tongue," Klaus threatened.

"What is wrong with you?" cried Stefan.

"What is wrong with you?" Klaus yelled. "Do you really have no appreciation for me? I have given you someone to hate; to loathe! A target for all of your anger so you don't have to turn it on yourself! I have given your life purpose; as your friend. I really think you should be thanking me."

Stefan launched himself at Klaus, pulling out a stake. "Enough!" he growled.

I couldn't help, but laugh. "You really like provoking him," I said to Klaus and Rebekah chuckled as well.

"Step down or you both die," Klaus had returned to being calm and Stefan lowered the stake. "There. Now you only have to get me the other two."

"This is ridiculous," Rebekah sighed and pulled open the bear traps, releasing Damon.

"What are you doing?" Klaus questioned her.

"I brought him here. I get to release him," she told her brother. "My rules now. Bring us the stakes and you both live. Take your brother as a sign of good faith."

Stefan approached his brother and helped him stumble from the house.

"Well, all this blood has made me hungry. Call if you need me." I followed the boys from the house.


	9. Chapter 9

"Elijah is coming by to help us get Nik's body back," Rebekah told me in the morning. "I'm going to hunt, but I'll be back soon."

"Thanks for the warning; I'll hide upstairs and pretend I'm not here."

She rolled her eyes at me and then left.

I heard Elijah enter the house. I couldn't help but spy as he took a seat in the drawing room. He sat motionless in the winged armchair, waiting for Rebekah's return. If I was human, I would have thought he was a statue. If I was breathing, my breath would have caught in my throat. He wore a black suit with a blue shirt and striped tie. I made an impulsive decision and approached him silently as vampires do. He barely looked up at me as I threw one leg over his lap, straddling him. I crashed my lips into his. He kissed back. At first he tried to be gentle, but gave up when I began bucking my hips.

"What are you doing?" He pulled out of the kiss.

"What does it look like?" I answered.

He leaned forward to kiss me, but I pulled up, out of his reach. With a low growl, he put a hand behind my head, forcing my lips down on his. His tongue moved into my mouth and his hands wandered first down my back and then up my thighs until he grabbed my hips, pulling me closer. I could feel how hard he was and reached down towards his belt. He pushed me off and stood up, but with hiw speed it only took a second before I was pinned against the wall. He reached under my skirt and began rubbing me through my underwear and I continued to undo his trousers. He pulled down my panties and I let out a moan as he slipped his fingers inside. I kissed him ferociously as his touch set me on fire. He removed his fingers and with a thrust, entered me. My voice was caught between a scream and a moan. He threw me on the ground and I cried his name as his thrusts picked up speed. He kissed, licked, and bit every inch of my body he could get to. I clawed at his back as he grunted his pleasure.

"Elijah," I sighed when I finally came.

Not longer after, he also finished, breathing my name into the cook of my neck. We lay there, letting time pass, his head resting on my chest and I gently pet his hair; the sweat starting to feel cold on my skin.

"I missed you, Elizabetta," he whispered.

"My Elijah," I brought his face up to mine and gently kissed his lips.

I kept interrupting him as he buttoned up his shirt with more kisses and he kept letting me. He still needed to put on his jacket, but he held me in a deep kiss with his hands on my lower back.

"I don't want to interrupt you, but our brother is being held captive," Rebekah's voice broke us apart.

"You are right, sister, I will go and speak with Elena." He nodded at me, grabbed his jacket and departed.

"I knew it!" She squealed when her brother was out of ear shot. "You two love each other."

"There has to be some statute of limitations on bragging rights," I sighed. "It's been nine hundred years since you declared we belonged together."

"Not for vampires," she grinned at me.

I met Elijah in the forest as I was instructed. We waited in silence for Rebekah to return with Klaus's body. I held his hand, but did not look at him. I was nervous; Esther had created another hunter out of Alaric. Each tree appeared a threatening figure.

"He's gone, Elijah," Rebekah appeared with tears pooling in her eyes. "There was nothing I could do to stop it."

Elijah embraced his baby sister, but then pulled away. "Tyler Lockwood is dead, but the rest survived. You said that Niklaus turned that bloodline."

"I thought he did," she responded, confused.

"It wasn't me. It wasn't Kol," said Elijah.

"It wasn't me, Elijah. It was Niklaus I'm sure of it," she said.

"Then how are they still alive?" Elijah wondered. "We should leave, the hunter will find us soon."

"You take Elizabeth," Rebekah told him. "I'll catch up with you later. There's something I must do first."

I had stolen a car and we were driving aimlessly north. "Where are we going?" I kept asking. "Should I go left or right?"

"As long as it's away from Mystic Falls," he answered. My phone rang and Elijah answered. "Hello, Rebekah."

"Klaus is alive," she said. "He had the Bennett witch jump him into Tyler's body and cast a protection spell over his body."

I sighed in relief. "Oh thank god. Wait!" I saw a sign for a diner right off the exit we were about to pass. I recklessly swerved, causing Elijah to start, and took the exit, squealing into the dinner parking lot.

"Are you guys coming home?" Rebekah asked on her end of the line.

"I don't think so," Elijah cast a sidelong glance at me and I pretended not to notice. "We'll call later," he hung up the phone.

Elijah held my hand as we entered the diner and the old lady working as hostess immediately fawned over us. She sat us at a booth in the back and eagerly brought us water. "It's so nice to see young folks in love. What can I get you?"

It was a struggle not to laugh. "I think we need another moment," Elijah responded since I couldn't speak.

"Okay, just let me know," she smiled and toddled off.

"What are we doing here?" he asked me.

"I was tired of driving. We're hours away from Mystic Falls. Plus, this is New Jersey; I want pork roll," I answered him. "But you wouldn't happen to have seen what town this is?"

The old lady came back over. "Did you have time to decide?"

I ordered chocolate chip pancakes with a side of pork roll and Elijah got an omelet with a milkshake. Okay, I bullied him into ordering the milkshake so we could share it. "Excuse me, miss," he said to the woman. "What town is this?"

"Somerville. I take it you're just passing through," she answered.

"Actually, we might stay a while," I said.

Elijah raised his eyebrows. " _You_ want to stay in a small town?"

I shrugged. "Would you believe me if I told you I'm tired?"


	10. Chapter 10

The town wasn't a small as Mystic Falls; at least they didn't have family founders for people to worship. Without having to worry about Klaus, we had nothing to do, but lay in bed. Elijah never let go of me; he said he had nine hundred years to make up for. Of course I stayed in contact with Rebekah while Klaus was helping her find a cure for vampirism.

"Hey, Bex," I instinctively answered when my phone rang.

"Kol's dead."

Two words. They hit me like a bullet. I dropped the phone and slide down the wall I had been leaning against. The air was thick. I tried to call out Elijah's name, but I was choking.

"Liz! Liz!" he rushed to me and gathered me into his arms. "Rebekah," he picked up my phone. "What happened?"

I faintly heard her repeat the sentence and I let out a wail. Elijah tried to comfort me, but I wouldn't have it. "I should have been there," I cried. "I should never have left him. I failed."

"There was nothing you could have done, my love." He picked me up and put me on the bed and curled up next to me.

We stayed there all day and all night. I didn't speak to him, I didn't even roll over. In the morning, he got up to go hunt. I didn't say anything when he spoke to me. I couldn't see past the white wall I was staring out. Everything else was fuzzy; the world outside me didn't exist because I didn't want it to. My only friends had ever been the Original family so I never knew anyone who died. I never experienced death on a personal level and it was devastating that the boy I always took care of was gone.

"You must eat something. You're going to desiccate," he pleaded after a few days. He was sitting behind me on the bed with his arms around my waist.

"I'm not hungry," I mumbled.

"Please." He bit his wrist and held it out to me. "Elizabetta. I have lost two brothers and my mother, I cannot lose you as well."

My primal instincts took over my desires and I grabbed his wrist, pressing it to my mouth. The warmth of it filled my mouth and I felt myself coming back to life. He kissed behind my ear and trailed the kisses down my neck.

"I love you," I told him, sinking back into his embrace.

Elijah began kissing my neck, but I was looking out the window at Main Street. "Shit, it's Katarina."

"So it is," he peered over my shoulder.

"What is she doing here?" I hissed.

"Probably hiding from Niklaus." He turned me around and continued with his kisses.

I pushed him off. "She's going to cause trouble. We need to find out what she's doing here."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Flirt with her," I told him.

He shook his head. "I don't think that's a great idea."

"She'll tell you anything if she thinks you like her like you used to."

"No. I'm not going to manipulate her like that," he said with pursed lips.

"Because she's never manipulated anyone in her life," I growled. "Well, I could torture her."

"You're impossible." He kissed my lips. "When I start spending less time with you, remember that I'm doing this because you asked and because I love you."

"Where are you going to meet her?" I asked Elijah as I tied his dark blue tie that stood out against his white shirt.

"The gazebo by the creek. She has the cure," he told me, grazing my cheek with the back of his hand. "I'll be back soon."

He called me sooner than I expected. "There's been a complication," he told me. "The Gilbert Gang is here. I need you to stay in the apartment."

"What the hell is going on, Eli?" I growled.

"Just stay put," he ordered and hung up.

I wandered out into the hall and saw our neighbor struggling with his keys. "Need some help?" I asked.

He looked up at me, his dark hair falling in his eyes. "It gets jammed all the time."

I walked up to the door, put my shoulder against it and checked. The door flew up and he followed me inside. The apartment was a disgusting mancave, but I thanked the gods he lived alone.

"Wow, thank you! Though you might have broken my door," the man chuckled nervously.

"It's fine." I closed it over because it no longer latched. I turned back to look at him, my fangs protruding. I took a minute before I pounced to notice the fear in his eyes and then I tore out his throat. I drained him of every last drop of his blood. I didn't bother to hide the body, I just returned to my apartment.

Elijah called after sunset saying he was coming to get me and we were going back to Mystic Falls. He pulled up in front of the building in a black car that wasn't the one we had driven here in. I spotted Rebekah in the passenger's seat so I climbed into the back. He turned around and kissed me and I pulled away, wrinkling my nose.

"You taste like Katarina."

"You taste like our neighbor," he retorted.

"You said the Gilbert gang; you didn't say anything about Bex being here," I said.

"My sincerest apologies," Elijah replied, his upper lip curling as he tried not to laugh.

"So, you're not with Katherine?" Rebekah hit her brother's shoulder. "You let me chew you out for not being with Liz!"

"I had a part to play," responded Elijah. "It was coincidence that Katherine ended up in the same town as us. Liz pushed me to find out what she wanted. When she told me she had the cure, I had to get it before she could kill Niklaus."

Rebekah laughed. "You let her think she was playing you! You're wonderful, brother."

"Why am I in the backseat?" I piped up, changing the conversation.

"Because driving here you almost killed us," answered Elijah. "Twice."

Elijah wore a maroon tie and a gray shirt with his black suit. He leaned back in his chair and rested one hand on my thigh. I leaned forward with my elbows on the round table, intent on what his siblings were saying.

"Elijah, being human mans a fresh start. I can grow old and have a family and fill each day with meaning knowing that each one matters," Rebekah told him.

"Well that was poetic," Klaus laughed.

"Well, if you can provide us with a more compelling reason for wanting the cure, Klaus, please," Elijah prompted his brother.

"Silas can appear as anyone. He got inside my thoughts, convinced me I was dying," he growled. "He will torment me until I give him the cure."

"And in doing so he will break down the wall to the otherside!" Rebekah argued.

"So it doesn't trap him there when he dies. He wants to reunite with his lost soulmate. You of all lovesick fools should applaud his devotion," Klaus appealed to Elijah.

"He will open the floodgates for every supernatural being that has ever died!" protested Rebekah.

Klaus turned his argument back for Elijah's benefit. "Including our dear brothers; Kol and Finn. We'll have our family back."

I laughed. "Please, you hated Kol and you kept Finn in a box for most of his life."

"Elijah, please," Klaus looked at his brother.

"Your personal discomfort might not be sufficient reason for putting the entire world in jeopardy, Klaus," Elijah tried not to grin. "I think our sister deserves her shot at happiness."

Klaus's eyes widened. "Tell me you're joking. Tell me you're not fating me to an eternity of torture."

"I made my decision," Elijah told him.

"It's because Liz doesn't like me; isn't it? You claim morality, but you're just as corrupt as any of us!" Klaus hissed.

"On the contrary, Niklaus, I always thought we were friend; albeit friends that fought more often than not," I shrugged.

Klaus growled and stood. "When you're sick and dying and beg for my blood," he hissed in his sister's ear. "I will laugh in your face and compel you to forget me."

"Where's the cure?" Rebekah asked Elijah after Klaus stomped away like a child.

"Rebekah it is no secret that you are impulsive, emotional, and at times, morally questionable. Prove to me this isn't just another one of your whims; that you know precisely what you are giving up here," Elijah responded.

"Fine. Anything," she said.

"I want you to live a day as a human. This day," he requested. "No vampire privileges: no strength, no compulsion, no nothing. You succeed, you still believe this is what you want; the cure is yours."

They had struck a deal. "Are you sure this is wise?" I asked Elijah after she left.

"She is my sister and I want her to be happy. Speaking of which, are you attending prom with her?"

"Can we lock the doors and murder the lot of them?" I smiled.

Elijah narrowed his eyes at me, disapproving of my request.

"Then, no," I answered. "Just because I admitted to being in love with you doesn't mean I'm going to renounce my evil ways."

"I do not expect you to, but this is my sibling's home now and I would appreciate it if you do not cause trouble for them."

"What about for you?" I leaned over and kissed his lips.

Slowly, he kissed back. The hand on my knee slid up my thigh just as slowly and I bit his lip. He growled and picked me up, rushing me up to his room where he threw me on my back and bent over me, trailing kisses down my neck and to my chest, pulling my shirt over my head. I loosed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt and tore both of them off. I didn't bother to remain quiet even though I knew Klaus was in the house.


	11. Chapter 11

Elijah had been waiting outside for me to return from my hunt. I kissed him as he leaned against the porch. "Is Bex at the prom?" I asked as I walked by him.

He nodded. "I'll be inside in a minute."

Rebekah was inside in a minute, not Elijah. "Hey, how was prom?" I asked. "How'd you do?"

She must have snapped my neck because I blacked out and when I woke up I was laying on the couch with my head in Elijah's lap.

"It was Silas," he told me. "Silas has the cure."

"Well that sucks," I mumbled and rolled onto my shoulder, falling asleep. Dying and returning to life was exhausting.

Elijah call Rebekah and I to the living room. Today he wore a red tie with a white shirt and a vest under his suit. "Niklaus has gone to New Orleans," he informed us.

"New Orleans? What the hell is Klaus doing there?" Rebekah asked after pouring herself a drink.

"Apparently there are witches conspiring against him," Elijah answered. "So, knowing our brother, this was a mission to silence and slaughter."

"Well the French Quarter witches are not to be trifled with. You don't suppose they found a way to kill an Original once and for all, do you?" Rebekah smiled.

"Rebekah," Elijah sighed. "In the name of our family you might want to try to dial down your glee."

"What family?" she sneered. "We're three distrustful acquaintances who happen to share a bloodline and an affection for a violent woman. I, for one, hope they found a way to make that traitorous bastard rot."

I jumped up from the chair I had been sitting in. "Shall we go, then?"

"Wait, where are you guys going?" Rebekah asked.

"To find out who's making a move against our brother," answered Elijah. "And then, I'll either stop them or I'll help them; depending on my mood."

I giggled. "I think I'm finally wearing off on you."

Our first stop in New Orleans was a bar called Rousseau's were the Deveraux sisters were said to have worked. Elijah wore a white shirt with a blood-red tie and I wore black jeans with my black blouse, in preparation of having to run. We were waited on by a blonde bartender named Camille who was trying to make small talk.

"We used to live here," he answered when asked why we were here.

"Really? When?" the bartender asked.

"It feels like a hundred years ago," he grinned.

"I just moved here myself," she told us. "What brought you back?"

"Well my brother's here somewhere. I'm afraid he might have gotten himself into a bit of a bind," Elijah answered her.

"You say that like it's a common occurrence," she chuckled.

"Well my brother's here somewhere," Elijah answered her. "I'm afraid he might have gotten himself into a bit of a bind."

Camille chuckled. "You say that like it's a common occurrence."

"Well, he's complicated, defiant, ill-mannered, a little temperamental; see, we don't share the same father. Of course, that never bothered me," said Elijah. "But my brother resents it deeply. Never felt like he belonged. All told, he has a long history of getting into trouble."

"But he can get out of it," I said taking a sip of my drink. "Your entire family is handsome and charming. "

"Those are good traits to have. So what kind of bind is your brother in?" Camille prodded.

"He believes there are people in this town that are conspiring against him," answered Elijah.

Camille was taken aback. "Wow, narcissistic and paranoid. Sorry," she stopped herself. "Bartender with a grad degree in psychology; total cliché."

When they begin talking about themselves, they trust you enough to answer your questions. "Listen, Camille," Elijah spoke. "I'm looking for someone who might shed some light on his current predicament. She works here; Jane Ann Deveraux? Any idea where we might find her?"

"No, but I know someone who might." Camille sent Elijah to find another witch named Sabine and I stayed with my drink and talking to Camille. "Are you two married?" she asked me after he left.

I laughed. "Just dating."

"Oh, oh, sorry! You guys just seem, I don't know, a part of each other? That sounds silly," she prattled on as she refilled my drink.

"No," I smiled at her, debating whether or not she'd be my dinner. "Not really." Before I could make a move, Elijah called.

"Meet me in the square."

"What?" I asked him when I showed up.

"Marcel has executed Jane Ann. He now forbids witches from doing magic, but that," Elijah pointed to the girl on the ground by the body. "Is her sister, Sophie. She's the one we need to talk to."

I pulled out my phone and dialed Rebekah's number. "You'll never believe this, but Marcel is running New Orleans."

"You mean to tell me after all these years, Marcel is alive and well." You could hear the shock in her voice.

"Yes. Niklaus has managed to insert himself into the middle of a warzone and we haven't found him yet."

"Good," she told me before hanging up.

Elijah laughed. "She won't be coming around anytime soon."

We followed Sophie back to Rosseau's, but we weren't the only ones. Three of Marcel's vampires followed her as well. When she exited through the back of the building, they tried to attack her. Elijah tore the heart out of the first one and I impaled the second on the side of the building using a decorative sword while Elijah snapped the neck of the third.

"I'm Elijah," he introduced himself as he straightened his suit. "You've heard of me."

"Yes," she nodded, terrified.

"This is Liz," he introduced me and I snarled, showing my fangs. "Why don't you tell me what business your family has with my brother?"

Sophie had us follow her to the cemetery where all the witch ancestor's bones were housed. I was a vampire and I thought it was creepy.

"I suggest you start talking," I threatened. "What did your sister want with Niklaus?"

"We have a vampire problem and we need help," she answered. "Marcel has an army backing him. The witches have been trying to fight back. We haven't had much luck until my sister, Jane Ann, met a girl; a werewolf passing through the quarter from a small town in Virginia," she paused to see if we knew who it was. "She had a special connection to your brother."

"What kind of connection?" Elijah asked.

"Apparently they spent some time together," Sophie didn't answer the question.

"If you're saying they fucked, just say that they had sex. Why do you have to be so cryptic? We're not on a soap opera." I was twitching to tear her head off. I was so fast, she would never see it coming.

"One thing led to another," Sophie glared. "Now this werewolf girl; she's pregnant and the father of the child she's carrying is Klaus."

"That's impossible," Elijah said.

"Nothing's impossible," replied Sophie. "Especially not when it comes to your brother. Think about it; they call him the hybrid. Bring her out!" she called.

A beautiful girl, a little over twenty and stick thin, appeared with several more witches. "Who the hell are you?" she asked.

"Give us a moment, please," Elijah asked of Sophie.

The three of us were brought to a crypt filled with lit candles and the witches stood outside. "So have they been holding you here against your will?" Elijah asked.

"They lured me out to the bayou and grabbed me," the girl answered.

I began pacing back and forth in the crypt. It really upset me when girls were taken advantage of, and this girl was pregnant; even more reason she should be protected by other women.

"They did all these weird witchy tests," she continued. "Not that I understand how this could happen. I mean vampires are dead; they can't have children."

"Perhaps if you knew my brother's story. It might explain how this is possible. If I may?" Elijah took her head in his hands and found his way into her thoughts where he showed her the origin of Klaus.

"Your dad was a dick," she said when Elijah released her.

I laughed. Actually, I cackled. "I like you."

She smiled at me. "I'm Hayley, by the way. You should probably know my name if you guys are going to tell me your whole life story. I know who you are; your family is legendary. You're Liz, Elijah's companion. Your brother is a notorious psycho who I slept with. Classic me."

"Aw, we're Eskimo sisters," I grinned.

Elijah placed a hand on my shoulder. "Did you need to mention that?"

"Sorry, babe."

"I cannot excuse Klaus's behavior," Elijah continued. "But you must understand that our father hunted him; hunted us for centuries. Every time we found a moment of happiness we were forced to flee. Even here in New Orleans, where we were happiest of all. Not long after Niklaus broke the spell that prevented him from becoming a hybrid, he defeated our father. I thought this would make him happy. He was angrier than ever. I wonder perhaps if this baby might be a way for my brother to find happiness; a way to save him from himself."

"I'm glad you feel that way," Sophie had returned. "Cause we need your help."

"What precisely is it that you want and what does it have to do with this young woman?" Elijah asked.

"We want to run Marcel and his vampires out of town. Klaus is the key. Everything Marcel learned about being a vampire, he learned from Klaus. Marcel trusts him; looks up to him. He won't see the betrayal coming," the witch explained.

Elijah clicked his tongue off the roof of his mouth. "Yes, well as I'm sure you're aware, my brother Niklaus doesn't like to be told what to do."

"That's why I brought you here," Sophie said. "Marcel drove the werewolves out of town two decades ago. Do you really think he's going to welcome a hybrid baby to the neighborhood? Convince Klaus to help us and no one has to know about the newest member to the original family."

"That sounds remarkably like blackmail," Elijah smiled gently.

Sophie pursed her lips together. "Like I said; I'm desperate."

"Well then I have my work cut out for me; don't I?"

"I'm staying here with Hayley," I volunteered. "I don't trust these bitches."

"I can take care of myself," she protested.

"I don't doubt that," I told her. "But if something goes wrong, I'm not missing a change to take it out on them."


	12. Chapter 12

Elijah returned with Klaus and Hayley had wandered off with her guards. "Liz. Sophie Deveraux. What is this?"

"He's all yours," said Elijah. "Proceed."

"You know you're famous in this town," Sophie spoke to Klaus. "We know that Marcel was nothing but an orphan, street rat til you made him what he is and now he's out of control. He does what he wants, kill who he wants. I'm gonna stop him and you're gonna help me.

"That is why you brought me here?" Klaus asked Elijah.

"Here her out," his brother said.

"I don't need to hear her out!" Klaus yelled. "I assure you, luv, there is not a thing on this earth that would make me waste even thirty more seconds of my time. Elijah! What madness is this?"

Haley broke into the circle. "Klaus, you need to listen to them."

He laughed at her. "You're all out of your minds, if you think some liquor fueled, one night stand, no offense sweetheart, means a thing to me."

"Marcel may be able to keep us from practicing real magic in this town, but as keepers of the balance we still know when nature has cooked up something new," Sophie argued. "For example, I have a special gift of sensing when a girl is pregnant."

"What?" Klaus growled.

"I know it's impossible," said Hayley.

"What are you saying?" he repeated.

"Niklaus, you knocked her up!" I told him.

He shook his head. "No, it's not possible. Vampires cannot procreate."

"But werewolves can! Magic made you a vampire, but you were born a werewolf; you're the original hybrid, the first of your kind. This pregnancy is one of nature's loopholes." Sophie explained.

"You've been with someone else!" Klaus growled and started at Hayley. "Admit it!"

I stepped in front of her, challenging him.

"Hey!" she said. "I spent days held captive in a feakin' alligator bayou because they think that I'm carrying some magical miracle baby. Don't you think I would have fessed up if it wasn't yours?"

"My sister gave her life to perform the spell she needed to confirm this pregnancy. Because of Jane Ann's sacrifice, the lives of this girl and her baby are now controlled by us. If you don't help us take down Marcel, so help me, Hayley won't live long enough to see her first maternity dress."

"Like hell," I hissed and grabbed Sophie by the throat.

"Enough of this! If you want Marcel dead; he's dead. I'll do it myself," Elijah said as I released the witch.

"No we can't," Sophie said. "Not yet. We have a clear plan we need to follow. And there are rules."

"How dare you command me!" Klaus growled. "Threaten me!" he yelled. "With what you wrongfully perceive to be my weaknesses. I won't hear any more lies!"

"Niklaus," Elijah said. "Listen."

No one spoke. Faintly a second heartbeat could be heard from Hayley. For a moment, I though Klaus would break down and accept that he's a father. Again, if you count Marcel.

"Kill her," he snarled. "And the baby. What do I care?"

I was in shock. Elijah ran after his brother, but I stuck with Hayley.

Another group of witches showed up, condemning Sophie for her actions.

"Marcel and his vampires are out of control," she defended herself.

"So the solution is to bring in more vampires?" The woman with a head scarf said.

"These aren't just any vampires, Agnes; these are the Originals," protested Sophie.

"What makes you think you can control the hybrid?" asked Agnes.

"She can't." Elijah had returned. "I'm not entirely certain that I can either, but now that your coven has drawn his eye; I have a question: what prevents my brother from murdering you instead of cooperating?"

Sophie took a needle from a voodoo looking doll and pricked her hand.

"Ow!" Hayley looked at her hand. "What the hell?"

"The spell my sister performed, the one that got her killed; it didn't just confirm the pregnancy, it linked me to Hayley," Sophie explained. "So, anything that happens to me, happens to her, which means her life is in my hands. Klaus may not care about his own child, but it's clear what it already means to you. If I have to hurt Hayley, or worse, to ensure that I have your attention; I will."

"You're disgusting," I growled.

"You would dare threaten an Original?" Elijah questioned her.

"I have nothing to lose," Sophie told him. "You have until midnight to get Klaus to change his mind."

"Come, Liz," Elijah sighed and offered his hand.

We tracked Klaus to Marcel's where he was hosting a party. Only Marcel's wasn't Marcel's, it was Elijah and Klaus's old home. Their beautiful home, crawling with newly spawned vampires. We went unnoticed and stood on the balcony. Klaus was arguing with his former protégé.

And then it blew up. "Fuck," I breathed as we witnessed Klaus bite on of Marcel's guys.

"We have to fix this."

Marcel had left the party and was sitting in the booth of a pub. "Elijah Mikaleson," he greeted when we walked in. "Liz."

The entire clientele was vampires and they all stood in defense of their leader.

"No," Marcel waved them down. "I got it, it's all good."

"It's time we had a little chat," Elijah said as we sat down across from Marcel.

"Well if you're gonna talk, talk. I've got things to do," Marcel said.

"My, my you've grown quite confident over the last century, haven't you?" Elijah stared at him.

"Me?" Marcel challenged. "I say it's you and your brother who got cocky; coming to my town like you own the place."

"Well, we did own the place once. People would run screaming from Liz, not you. And we were all quite happy here, as I recall. Although… we could never control those pesky witches of the French Quarter. How are you doing it?

Marcel tilted his head like a dog. "Your brother asked me the same question. I gave him the same answer. It's my business. Klaus comes into town all nice and friendly, then starts looking down his nose at what I've done like it's some cheap knock off of one of his dumb paintings. Then he gets pissed off like a little bitch and bites one of my guys."

"Well I do apologize for Klaus's poor behavior. I assume you know that bite will kill your friend within a matter of days," Elijah smiled. "Of course, Niklaus's blood will cure him."

"What?"

"Oh, you didn't know," I grinned at Marcel. "The blood of the hybrid will cure a werewolf bite. It's pretty good leverage when negotiating."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "What kind of negotiations are we talking?"

"Return the body of the witch Jane Ann," Elijah demanded. "Allow her people to put her to rest."

"What do you care about the witches?" asked Marcel.

"Well that's my business, now, isn't it?" said Elijah.

We returned to the cemetery as Elijah carried Jane Ann's shrouded body. "I bring proof of my intent to help you. The body of your fallen friend." He placed the body on the ground for them to see. "Which I procured from Marcel himself. I'll agree to your terms. I just need a little more time."

"You've had your time," Agnes said. "It's passed."

"For now accept the deal," Elijah rebutted. "The girl and the child remain unharmed, or Klaus and Liz will kill you all."

I took Hayley to the plantation house where Marcel worked as a boy. It hadn't been lived in since the governor's bloodline died out a century ago and we couldn't base our operations out of a motel. All the furniture had been covered in white sheets which were covered in dust.

We went back to see Sophie the next day. Elijah wore a gray three-piece suit with a navy tie and white shirt. I wore a black fit-n-flare dress with white polka dots I had just stolen.

"So how do you think this will work?" Elijah asked Sophie.

"Your brother needs to cement his place in Marcel's world. In Marcel's inner circle; the day walkers. That's where we begin. They're his friends, his family. We'll be hitting him where it hurts," she answered.

I was hours away, hunting when Rebekah called me. "Elijah's not here!" she cried.

"Calm down; what are you talking about?"

"Elijah wasn't answering his phone so I drove all the way down here, and he's nowhere to be found. Klaus has done something awful, I know it! I searched the entire house and his coffin isn't with the rest of ours. When did you last see him?" she asked.

"Just the other day," I answered. "He doesn't hunt like I do. I'm coming home, right now."

Back at the plantation house, Rebekah was panicking. Apparently, Hayley had disappeared as well. I calmed Rebekah down and then went to the quarter to find Hayley before Marcel did. It wasn't hard to find the only werewolf in the quarter; she was sitting on a park bench and several of nightwalkers had approached her.

"Dumb move, coming to the quarter," one of the growled. "You're coming with me, wolf."

"I have had it up to here with vampires telling me what to do!" she threw whatever she had been drinking in the vampire's face and tried to run, but more vampires blocked her way.

I rushed up behind them, snapping one's neck and tearing out the other's heart. "You should really be nicer to pregnant girls."

"This is why I told you to never leave the house," Klaus growled, throwing the vampires' bodies on a pyre in front of the house. "Werewolves are banned in the Quarter. I had a plan and your little nighttime stroll put it all in peril."

Rebekah noticed the one whose neck I snapped was beginning to wake up and she approached him.

"Leave him!" Klaus yelled. "Enough damage's been done."

I cast a sidelong glance at Hayley and fidgeted uncomfortably with my rings.

"Don't talk to me about a plan," Rebekah scoffed. "You've had enough time to execute a plan, but you haven't done a damn thing. Elijah made a deal to protect your child so he could save you from your selfish, rotten self, but you obviously don't give a damn about the child because what have you done to honor it?"

"I have done everything!" barked Klaus. "Let me spell it out for you, shall I? From the day I arrived, Marcel hasn't trusted me! From day one he had his vampires ingest toxic vervain which, as you know little sister, protects them from my mind control." He continued to outline and detail every action he has taken since arriving in New Orleans. "And this one, I'm going to drain him of vervain, compel him to believe his mates found religion and moved to Utah, so he can explain to Marcel why he lost three more vampires tonight." He dragged the live one into the house and dropped him just inside the door. "Does anyone have any more questions?"

"So, where is my boyfriend?" I squeaked.

Klaus snarled at me. "Hayley, what were you doing in the bloody Quarter? Answer me!"

"Leave her be!" Rebekah stepped in between them.

Hayley pushed past her. "You want to know what I was doing? I was buying poison so I could put your little baby out of its misery."

Klaus grabbed Hayley by her throat, lifting her up in the air.

"Nik!" Rebekah cried. "Nik! Keep your hands off her, she is pregnant, for God's sake." She pushed him away from Hayley. "All this bluster about not wanting the child and then the second she tells you she wants to get rid of it. It's okay to care. It's okay to want something. That's all Elijah was trying to do. All Elijah ever wanted for you; all we've ever wanted."

By the time she finished speaking, they were sitting on the ground next to each other. What she said must have really hit him because his eyes began to water. If Klaus ever loved anyone it was his baby sister.

"I gave Elijah to Marcel," the hybrid admitted.

My heart caught in my throat and I was sure I didn't hear him correctly. "What?" I choked out.

"Marcel was nervous; bad enough one Original returned to town, but two," Klaus explained. "His crew was getting antsy. He wanted Elijah gone, so I gave him a piece offering."

"You bartered our brother!" Rebekah cried.

"I have a plan," Klaus defended himself. "Gain Marcel's trust. Dismantle his empire. Honor Elijah's wish that that baby be borne. I am executing that plan the only way I know how."

"With my boyfriend as a hostage," I sighed.

Rebekah was the first to stand and leave. Hayley followed her. I remained silent and Klaus remained sitting on the floor. Eventually he did stand. "You can bleed him out; I'll get the bodies," he said.

I walked back to the foyer where the vampire was still unconscious on the floor. I grabbed his wrists, dragging the body through the house to one of the governor's secret rooms. He was light enough I picked him up with one arm, tying his ankles with my free hand. The vampire swayed gently back and forth, his hands only an inch above the ground. Taking the knife I carried in my pocket, I began slashing. I started with his throat and then made sure to hit the major arteries in his wrists and thighs. That wasn't enough though. Because of this guy's sire, Elijah was being held captive and in a coma. I stabbed and a cut, relishing his the blood pouring out of him. I gutted him, over and over again, until Klaus found me.

"I think the vervain's out of his system," he smirked at me. He knelt down beside the groaning boy and handed him my knife. "Cut off your other hand."

Slowly, the vampire moved his knife towards his other arm. He screamed in pain as he buried it in his own skin. Had he been screaming like that the entire time?

"Alright, you can stop," Klaus commanded, but not until he was halfway through the wrist.

I let the vampire down and watched as Klaus invented a lie about what happened to the other vampires and making him forget us.

"I cannot believe you disposed of those vampires without me," Rebekah whined in the morning. "You know how I like to set things on fire."

"Was I supposed to leave them in the front yard to rot?" Klaus responded. "Besides, they were my responsibility. They attacked a helpless, pregnant girl who's carrying my child."

"Oh, I am so moved by your newfound sense of fatherly duties towards the werewolf girl carrying your hybrid baby," she sneered.

Hayley entered the room, clutching a large leather-bound book adorned with the Mikaelson M. "The werewolf would like to know what the plan is."

"Well that depends what plan you mean, luv: my plan for global domination, or Rebekah's plan to find love in a cruel, cruel world," Klaus grinned.

"The plan to rescue Elijah, you know; the good brother," Hayley sighed. "The one who is now in possession of your mortal enemy after you stabbed him in the back."

"Hallelujah! She is the only one here with decent priorities," I declared even though earlier we were discussing and Elijah plan.

"Elijah is one of my priorities and I stabbed him in the front," Klaus corrected us.

I couldn't help but laugh and Hayley rolled her eyes.

"You said that you would get him back, so is there a plan or what?" she asked.

"Okay," Klaus sighed and sat down. "Firstly, Marcel is not my mortal enemy. He's my friend, albeit on who is unaware that I am trying to sabotage his hold over the supernatural community of the French Quarter, but a friend nonetheless. And Secondly, I daggered Elijah in order to gain Marcel's trust. If I had known he would place my brother in the hands of a particularly nasty, teenage witch, I certainly would have weighed my options a bit differently. And thirdly, sister, please."

"And thirdly," Rebekah continued. "The plan, as you have demanded, is for Niklaus to simply ask for Elijah back."

Hayley looked shocked. "That's-that's not the whole plan is it?"

I chuckled. "Do you actually think when Niklaus asks and Marcel says no we're just going to shrug and move on?"

"Exactly," Klaus agreed. "That's only the plan A, luv. There's always a plan B."

"And what's plan B?" Hayley asked.

A smile slowly spread across Klaus's face. "War."


	13. Chapter 13

I stayed with Hayley while the two originals executed their plan. I poured two glasses of whiskey while we sat in the living room and Hayley reminded me that she couldn't drink.

"I know, they're both for me," I grinned

She chuckled. "So, have you known Elijah long?" she asked. "You're American, unlike the other Originals."

"Actually, I'm Italian and they're all just too stubborn to lose their accents," I laughed. "I've known them for about nine hundred years."

"Wow," Hayley said wrapping her mind around such an expanse of time.

"Rebekah turned me because she thought Eli and I would be good for each other."

"And are you?" she asked.

I thought about it, wanting to answer her honestly. "He's good for me; slows me down a bit, but I think I'm bad for him. I screw with his morality."

"But you're in love…"

"We've been together for nine hundred years, but we've only been romantically involved recently. And I mean recently for humans," I explained to her.

"Oh," she said. "The way he looks at you though, he's loved you for a while."

"Don't sound so disappointed," I tried to laugh. "You have years ahead of you find your love."

Klaus and Rebekah showed up with Sophie Deveraux and went into another room, closing the doors behind them without even looking at us.

"Come on," I told Sophie and we sat outside the door listening.

"It's simple," Rebekah was saying to her. "We need you to perform a teeny, tiny locator spell to find our brother."

"Witches who practice magic in this town get caught and then get killed," Sophie sounded annoyed.

"Yes, about that," Klaus spoke. "It seems you left out a crucial detail when we made our deal. Marcel's secret weapon; the way he knows when a witch is using magic.

"Girl about yea high, cute as a button, anger issues," Rebekah described another witch.

"Davina?" Sophie asked. "Where have you seen her?"

"I don't know," Rebekah answered. "Your little brat erased my memory after she threw me out a window with her bloody mind."

"Let me cut to the chase," it was Klaus again. "Davina has Elijah. You witches, I assume, want to get Davina away from Marcel. We don't know where she is, ergo, we need magic."

"Davina would sense it," Sophie was basically repeating herself.

"Unless of course, say a traitor to the cause, Katie for example, was to perform much more powerful magic at the same time," suggested Rebekah. "That would create a smokescreen for your very small spell from Davina."

"Katie doesn't deserve to die," Sophie protested.

"Sophie Deveraux," Klaus sighed. "You're in no position to be so principled. You can't win a war without a few strategic loses, no matter how regrettable they may be. How many times have the vampires been one step ahead? Known something they shouldn't? Your sister, executed in the public square for practicing magic; did she even attempt to flee?"

"She was caught hiding in a cargo hold of a freighter before it set sail down the Mississippi," sighed Sophie.

"And who praytell, in Marcel's inner circle, manages his business at the docks?" Klaus asked.

"Katie's boyfriend, Thierry," Sophie admitted.

"Shit," I whispered to Hayley at the revelation.

It was the night of the plan to find Elijah and we were attending Marcel's charity masquerade ball. Rebekah and I wore black dresses that were designed to mirror each other. She wore black flowers in her hair and I did the same, only placing mine on the left. Klaus wore an all-black suit as well with a blue and black checkered tie. The party was even more elaborate than some of Original parties I had attended; there were ribbon dancers. Camille the bartender appeared, dressed as an angel and all eyes fell on her.

"What's she doing here?" Klaus asked.

"What better way to distract Marcel than to put his human, new girl in a room chalk full of vampires," Rebekah answered and went to talk to her.

"You like her," I commented to Klaus.

He shook his head. "No, I enjoy her," he corrected me.

"Is he the infamous on-again-off-again?" Camille said to Rebekah and nodded towards us as we approached.

"He's the brother, actually," he told her. "And my sister is right, you do look stunning."

"You clean up pretty well yourself," she returned the compliment.

I tried to be subtle when looking at him and decided I actually preferred Klaus in his cotton t-shirts and tight pants.

"Well, don't be fooled, luv. I'm the devil in disguise." He showed her his black mask with curled horns.

Cami smiled, "And Liz, right? Where's Elijah?"

I was surprised she remembered me and I realized she must have been confused, seeing me with Klaus. "The other brother? He couldn't make it."

"You two chit chat," Rebekah gestured to Klaus and Cami. "Liz, I need booze."

We walked up to the bar where she ordered scotch and I asked for Irish whiskey.

Marcel had spotted us and made a B-line for Rebekah. "Are you trying to be cute; inviting her here?" he asked his former love.

"I can tell you fancy her and her pure heart," Rebekah replied. "Maybe I'll feed it to you."

"Jealousy looks good on you, Bekah," he smirked.

"Well, that's my cue." I downed my drink and put the glass on the bar before walking away as quickly as I could manage without falling over in my heels.

Klaus had also left Cami and made his way over to me. "I'm dying," he groaned. He lavish parties that were not his even more than I hated parties.

"You're already dead," I sneered.

"Dance with me," he pleaded.

Sighing, I acquiesced and let him lead me out onto the dance floor. Marcel was dancing with Cami not too far away. I leaned on Klaus as we swayed, letting him support me and keep us moving since he was the one who wanted to dance. I watched as a cute vampire sporting a fro walked up to Marcel and whispered in his ear. Klaus watched as well and we stopped dancing.

"Get Rebekah," he spoke low.

Without a word, I found my sire and we left the party to supervise Sophie's locator spell.

Sophie knelt over the map she was using to cast the spell. "Something's wrong," she paused. "Katie's magic stopped. I can keep going."

"You can't. She'll sense it!" Rebekah protested.

"No, I can find Davina," said Sophie. "I just need another moment."

I ripped the map away from her. "You might be okay with dying, but Hayley and the baby will die with you and Elijah will never forgive that. We'd be better off keeping him in his box if that happens. It's over and we've failed."

Sophie glared at us and I took Rebekah's hand and led her out of the cemetery.

"Well tonight was an epic failure," Rebekah said to Klaus when he got home.

"On the contrary, sister, tonight was a masterpiece," he grinned.

"Are you mad?" she stood and confronted him. "Katie died before Sophie could complete the spell."

"I'm well aware. I killed Katie," he informed us.

"Come again?" I chimed in.

He poured three drinks. "There's no way our little suicide witch wasn't going to try to take Marcel out with her. I saved his life and in doing so, I now have him exactly where I want him."

I took the drink he offered me, but Rebekah refused hers. "Sophie trusted you! I trusted you against all my better instincts."

"Wake up, Rebekah!" Klaus yelled at his sister. "The witches are on no one's side but their own. This girl, Davina, that's all they want. And when they have her, what do you think happens then; a truce? Of course not; they will use Davina's power against all of us."

"Even if you're right; the plan was to find Elijah and you failed us," she retorted.

"You always did lack faith." Klaus remained calm. "By protecting Marcel I have cemented his faith. So much so, that he's agreed to return Elijah to us and when the time is right, when he has told me everything I need to know about Davina, I will have her for myself."

"I have all the faith in the world," replied Rebekah. "That you'll get what you want, Nik, you always do, no matter what it costs the rest of us. You disgust me."

When she left and I remained nursing my drink, Klaus looked at me. "What about you?" he growled.

"Kill her, torture her, use her; I don't really care," I shrugged. "Just don't talk about her like she's an object. She might have use as a weapon, but she's still just a little girl."

Klaus raised his eyebrows. "That's what's bothering you?"

"No," I growled. "I need to get laid, but I'm trying to be faithful. To your brother. And you took him away and haven't returned him."

"Can I not be your friend?" he yelled.

"Of course you can," I replied gently and stroked his cheek. "You are, but you're not the one I fell in love with."


	14. Chapter 14

It had been days when Elijah finally returned, brought home by Nik. I had been listening to Hayley and Rebekah jabber on about how Hayley was now one of the family. The door opened and Nik sauntered in.

"Nik, finally!" Rebekah grinned, but was stunned into silence when Elijah appeared behind his brother.

Elijah was smiling, looking at the three of us. He wore a navy blue suit with an olive tie and white shirt, no vest. I strutted up to him and slapped him across the face. He cracked his jaw and raised his fingers up to his cheek, touching it gently.

"What was that for?" he asked, not upset, only curious.

"You've been awake for days, but you didn't come home!" I hissed. "You didn't even try to contact me so I would know you're alright."

"My sincerest apologies." Elijah embraced me, wrapping his arms around my waist and gently kissed me.

When I was released, Rebekah ran up and hugged him. "Elijah, you're safe," she breathed. "Now that you're home, is your first plan to kill Niklaus?"

"Not yet," Elijah replied. "We need to talk." He gathered us all, including Hayley, into the study where he lost his jacket and tie and rolled his sleeves up to his forearms. "Everything that brought us here to New Orleans was a lie," he began. "The story that Sopie Deveraux fabricated, this struggle for control of the French Quarter, this war between vampires and witches, this wasn't over territory at all. This was over Davina."

As he spoke, his words never made it to my ears. I could only look at his strong hands and I imagined them running over my body and his fingers touching me. I crossed my legs trying to calm myself and pay attention. I looked at Elijah, wondering if he had noticed what I was thinking. His eyes met mine and he paused only for a beat.

"Eight months ago," he continued. "Sophie and her sister Jane-Anne lost everything. Now four months after, a young pregnant girl wanders into their restaurant. Suddenly, all hope is renewed. Jane-Anne actually sacrificed her life so that her sister could use you to find Davina. If Sophie Deveraux is successful in capturing Davina, she can return Jane-Anne's daughter back to life. We thought we came here to wage a war for power. This is about family. In order to return her niece to life, Sophie Deveraux will fight to the death. That makes her more dangerous than anyone."

In the morning, we were to revisit the Sophie/Hayley problem. Klaus sat on one of the sofas in the living room reading poetry, while Elijah sat across from him, thumbing through their mother's grimoire. Bach was playing in the background, but I didn't know which brother had put the record on. I reclined with my head on Elijah's lap. He wore a charcoal suit with a light blue shirt, but no tie. On the coffee table between us and Klaus was a young, dead girl, blood still pouring out of her.

"So this what you do the first time we're back together as a family?" Rebekah had walked in. "Vampire book club?"

"Reading edifies the mind, Sister," Klaus replied. "Isn't that right, Elijah?"

"Yes that's quite right, Niklaus," Elijah responded.

"And what's this business?" she motioned to the body.

"This is a peace offering," Elijah explained.

Klaus looked up from the page he was reading. "I assumed after so much time desiccating in a coffin, my big brother might be a bit puckish."

"I explained to my little brother that forgiveness cannot be bought. I'd rather see a change in behavior that represents contrition and personal growth, not this nonsense," he pointed to the girl.

"At least Liz knew better than to let her go to waste," Klaus chuckled.

I smiled and reached up to touch the side of my mouth, making sure I had cleaned off the blood. Elijah looked down at me from his book, a smile in his eyes as he tried to keep a straight face.

"Well I suppose I'll fetch the rubbish bin since she's staining a two hundred year old carpet," Rebekah sighed.

Elijah looked over his right arm, surprised to see that is sister was correct. "Well, yes," he murmured before returning to his reading until he heard Hayley moving about in the kitchen. I sat up, looking at him until he stood to go and check on her. I stood and helped Rebekah drag the body out of the house by way of the kitchen.

"The sooner she gets unlinked the sooner we can leave this crap town," Rebekah interrupted Elijah and Hayley's conversation.

My ears perked up, "Who are we killing?" I asked, excited.

"Probably no one," Elijah called as we walked by. "Alright, potentially everyone," he corrected himself.

Out in the backyard, I laughed.

Rebekah returned to the living room to scrub the floor and I stood behind Klaus, my hands on his shoulders. "Poetry about poisoned apples from dead trees?" she commented. "Looks like someone is worried about impending daddy-hood."

"Nonsense," Klaus grinned. "Elijah is back. In his presence all problems turn to pixie dust and float away."

"Strange, I don't remember any pixie dust from the darkness of the coffin I was forced to endure." Elijah had returned from the kitchen and pulled me off his brother to kiss my temple. He then returned to the grimoire and began tearing out a page.

"What are you doing with mother's spell book?" Rebekah asked.

"In exchange for my freedom, I promised the witch, Davina, that I would share a few pages from Mother's grimoire to help her to learn to control her magic. I thought we'd begin with a little unlinking spell," Elijah explained.

"Wait, you want to use her to unlink Hayley from Sophie Deveraux?" Rebekah cleared up.

"Sophie brought us to this town under false pretenses," Elijah continued, tearing out a page and folding it in half, put it in his inside jacket pocket. "She doesn't just want us to take down Marcel and his minions, she wants to take Davina back so she yoked her own cause to ours with magic threats and half-truths, well no more. As of now, our deal with Sophie Deveraux is null and void. Niklaus, I need you to come with me; I need five minutes alone with Davina and need to make certain I am not interrupted. You two can stay here and watch Hayley."

"Elijah, wait," I called and he returned to the living room. "Why can't I come with you?"

"Niklaus is more likely to listen to me than you are," he chuckled and kissed me before leaving again.

"How did I get elected supernanny?" Rebekah asked.

"More importantly, who put him in charge?" Klaus grumbled and followed his brother.

"At least you're personable," I groaned as Rebekah rolled her eyes.

Since it looked like Klaus and Elijah were in it for the long haul this time, I took it upon myself to officially move in and unpack my clothes. Elijah had already taken over the closet with his numerous suits, but luckily that left the dresser for my jeans and tshirts and dresses that don't wrinkle. I tried to take as much time as possible, forcing Rebekah to do the babysitting for as long as I could.

Smelling blood, I rushed downstairs and saw Hayley touching her neck.

"What the fuck happened?" I asked.

"Hell if I know," Hayley looked at the blood on her fingers. "It felt like I was being stabbed."

Rebekah took a look at it and helped clean off the blood. Hayley healed quickly and told me not to bother Elijah about it, but it didn't stop me from worrying.


	15. Chapter 15

I sat lengthwise on the sofa reading Klaus's book of poetry from earlier.

"Does the spawn of Satan want a snack?" Rebekah offered a basket of apples to Hayley that was sitting in the arm chair.

"I really wish you wouldn't call her that," the werewolf groaned.

"Aw sorry, have you picked another name yet- take one, the plantation's lousy with them. How's your neck?" Rebekah pushed.

"I feel fine, which is weird," Hayley answered, I'm sure this is Sophie related."

"Well do me a favor and don't die on my watch," Rebekah joked. "I'll never hear the end of it."

I turned the page, curious how much trouble Elijah and Klaus have caused.

"You know, when I first met you I thought you were a real bitch," Hayley said.

"What changed your mind?" Rebekah asked.

"Oh, I still think you're a bitch, I've just grown to like that about you," admitted Hayley.

I laughed. "I'm so glad you're in this family," I commented and Rebekah sneered.

"That's sweet of you to say, Hayley," the original ignored my comment. "Remember it when I'm gone."

I slammed the book closed. "When you're gone? What the bloody hell does that mean?"

"You know I only came to town to make sure everything was alright with Elijah. He's fine, you're fine and he hasn't punished Klaus for daggering him so as usual, they'll be think as thieves and I'll be left to clean up the mess that they incite you to make. It's time for me to fly the coupe."

"You can't go!" I protested. "We're a family."

"I can and I am," Rebekah growled and I shrunk away, recognizing I couldn't best her.

"Just focus on the sound of my voice," Elijah stood chest deep in the pool, trying to calm Hayley down. "You're gonna be okay."

Sophie Deveraux stood several feet away from them, also in the pool. Rebekah and I watched from the edge, staying dry. I paced up and down; that baby couldn't die, not before it was even born.

Hayley's screams pierced my ears as her stomach contracted. My hands flew to my ears as I doubled over, hoping it would stop. There was a splash as Elijah turned to me, but knew he couldn't let Hayley go. Finally, her screams stopped and turned to pants.

"I just felt it lift," Sophie declared and taking out her earing, pricked her hand.

Elijah examined Hayley's hand to discover that there was indeed, no blood to be found. "Come on, let's go," he guided her to the edge of the pool where I grabbed her hands and helped her out.

"Elijah!" Sophie called, still in the pool. "As soon as your brother finds out that the link is broken, he'll kill Agnes. I know you don't owe me anything, but please, don't let him kill her."

Elijah began to leave, taking my hand and ignoring her.

"Elijah!" she tried again. "She's the only access to the power we need to survive. Promise me that you'll stop him."

Elijah picked his phone up off the patio tabled and called Klaus. "It's me," he said. "Where are you?- Don't hurt her- I'll be there shortly." Elijah looked back at Sophie. "I'll make you one last promise; I won't let my brother kill Anges."

Elijah changed into dry clothes, black jeans and a navy, v-neck sweater under the same blazer he wore earlier, taking care to place a white handkerchief in place of a pocket square. I watched as he changed, focusing on his muscular body. "We don't have time," he told me when he noticed me watching.

"I know, I know," I sighed.

We rushed to St. Ann's church where Klaus had his captives. He held onto Agnes on the altar, threatening her life.

"Leave her," Elijah commanded. "I gave my word."

"You tend to give your word at the most inopportune times, brother," Klaus hissed. "We've been doing things your way all day! Come on, just one little snap and it's toodle-ooo, Agnes. She deserves it!"

"Niklaus do not make another move," Elijah spoke calmly. "You have asked for my forgiveness. I will grant you that forgiveness, but do not make me break my word."

Klaus slowly tilted his head to the side and then released Agnes with a pout. I began to rush towards her, but Elijah put his arm out, stopping me.

"My noble, brother," Klaus sneered. "How's that for personal growth, eh? It is just like you to spoil my fun."

"Oh, not necessarily," Elijah grinned.

He told me, not with words, his plan. We turned on the humans gathered in the church. I plunged my hands into their chests ripping each heart out, gripping the beating organ in my fingers, the blood coating my fingers and making the hearts slippery. When all lay dead aside from Agnes and the priest, Elijah pulled out his handkerchief to clean his hands and then gave it to me. I cleaned off all the wet blood that I could, but my skin was already stained.

"Now I said you would not die by my brother's hand, I said nothing of my own," Elijah approached Agnes and took her by the chin. "No one hurts my family and lives." He twisted his wrist and broke her neck. "No one." He let her body drop to the floor and on his way out of the church, took my hand, intertwining his fingers with mine and left the priest with a grinning Klaus.

We smashed through the front door of the house with our lips locked. Elijah threw me up against the wall, his hand traveling up my thigh. I giggled, kissing him back and slipping my tongue into his mouth. He grunted and pressed himself up against me. We bounced off the walls on our way up to our room.

"Wait, wait," I giggled. "What about Hayley?"

Elijah stopped kissing me, his hands still on my hips. We stood in complete silence. "Hayley?" he called, but there was no answer.

"Shit," I breathed, wonder where she could have been.

Elijah broke from me and called Rebekah, knowing she had willingly left the city. "Is she with you?" he demanded.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I heard her on the other end.

"Hayley's gone. Where is she?" Elijah tried again.

Klaus returned, looking murderous. "Marcel was here," he declared, answering our question.


	16. Chapter 16

The courtyard at Marcel's was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with night walkers. In the center was a circle where two vampires are battling it out. "Great, immortal fight club," I muttered and the brothers chuckled. I pushed through the crowd and into the ring where a shirtless man was celebrating his victory. Before he could fight me, I snapped his neck and the raucous cheering died out.

"Good evening," Klaus joined my side. "I'd like a word."

"What do you think you're doing?" Marcellus demanded from the balcony.

"It appears we've interrupted a collection of filthy amateurs," Elijah grinned. "We've come here for the girl. Give her to us or we kill everyone here. Starting with you."

I hissed, eyeing up my potential victims.

"You three got a lot of nerve coming into my home and making demands," Marcellus said.

"Your home, is it?" Klaus sneered.

"The girl!" Elijah interrupted. "I will not ask again. You remember how impatient Liz is."

Marcellus smirked. "I assume you're talking about Hayley. Yea high, dark hair, bitchy attitude.

"She's an old friend," Klaus answered. "You know how sentimental I am about old friends."

"Well I ain't got her and before you start whining I did pay her a little visit earlier tonight," Marcellus admitted. "I was feeling nostalgic so I took a trip out to the plantation where I used to be a slave and imagine my surprise when I realized the original family of vampires had taken up residence. Your girl Hayley answered the door. We exchanged hellos. That was it. You don't believe me? Look around. Hell, I'll even help you find her, but the question I'd ask is, if Hayley isn't here; where is she?"

I snarled at him. "If you're telling the truth then come down here and help look."

Fight Club had been disbanded and the brothers sat at a table in the courtyard waiting for Marcellus to return and speak with them. I paced behind their chairs trying to only focus on my feet.

"Calm down," Elijah reached out and grabbed my hand after I passed him and pulled me closer.

"I can't!" I wrapped my arms around his chest and shoulders from behind and planted a kiss on top of his head. "What if something happens to- while we're sitting among this riffraff?"

"Yes, they're not the most attractive community are they?" Elijah mused.

"You do realize they can hear you," Klaus grinned at his brother.

"You realize I don't care," came the response.

Marcellus finally returned with two other vampires in tow. "Now, Elijah, I liked you better in that box. But Klaus, my sire, you I owe the world and I always show respect to my elders. If your special lady friend is missing you could benefit from the help of a witch. And since I control all the witches in this town, I'll grant you one little locator spell."

Two more vampires brought in a black girl who was struggling to get out of their grasp.

"Sabine's the best guide in the quarter," Marcellus presented her to us. "You need to find someone, I guarantee she's your girl."

"Where are you going?" Klaus demanded as Marcellus began walking away.

"I hate to cut this short," he lied. "But the sun's coming up soon. My nightwalkers need to get inside and I've got a city to run. I'll leave you to track down your lost sheep."

"Can you find her?" Elijah asked the witch.

"I can try," she answered.

She sat across the table from Elijah and performed her spell over a map. I watched the blood run across the paper as Klaus paced.

"She's in the back country," Sabine declared. "Way out past Houma, deep in the bayou."

"I don't suppose you can be more precise," Elijah said.

Klaus stopped at turned to his brother, his upper lip twitched. "What's the matter, Elijah? Worried that a bit of splashing through the bog might ruin your expensive shoes?"

"As a matter of fact, after my recent confinement I could use a decent stroll through the countryside," Elijah retorted.

I laughed. "Looks like we're going hiking."

"There are stories of werewolf encampments," Sabine explained. "If she really went out that far, chances are she went to find them."

"Clearly she wants to make an acquaintance of more like herself," Klaus sneered. "I suppose our company wasn't good enough for her."

We stepped out of the car in the middle of nowhere. "Who would want to live here?" I asked. "It's the fucking boonies."

"We should head south, towards the water," Elijah ignored my comment, but offered his hand which I took as we tread carefully down the hill.

"You seem quite determined to find the little wolf," Klaus said.

"If I'm moving too fast for you, Niklaus, you're welcome to wait in the car. I'll be certain to leave the windows down."

"So I've touched a nerve," Klaus chuckled. "You've begun to admire this girl. Perhaps that's why you've been barking orders since your return; hoping to impress Hayley by assuming the role of family patriarch."

I rush back to Klaus, stopping only an inch from his face and hissed. "We are all concerned for her well-being. She is the mother of your child and a part of this family."

"Let's just get this over with," he pushed past me and I followed with Elijah.

"You've caught her scent?" Elijah asked when his brother stopped suddenly.

"No, but I've found someone else's." Klaus ran about half a mile further to a truck. "This vehicle reeks of someone I thought I was rid of. Tyler Lockwood."

"And why would your little hybrid from Mystic Falls have any interest in Hayley?" Elijah sighed.

"He wants revenge cause I went after his girl," Klaus answered.

Elijah shook his head. "Why do I suspect that is the least of your offenses?"

"Back when I had the means to sire hybrids, he was my first, although I didn't give him much choice in the matter. He was loyal in the beginning and grew insubordinate; turned my other hybrids against me I couldn't have that, so I massacred the lot of them. Tyler ran like a coward before I could finish him off," Klaus elaborated.

"Anything else that you'd like to share?" Elijah sneered.

"Well, there was this business with his mum," Klaus shrugged, casually.

"You killed his mother, wonderful," Elijah responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Klaus's demeanor turned on a dime. "Fine! You don't want to help? I'll kill Tyler Lockwood myself." He ran off and I was left with Elijah to find Hayley.

Through the trees I saw the flutter of a pink sweater and I ran towards it.

Hayley swung a knife at me and I caught her wrist about my head. "It's just me," I told her. "Eli! I found her!" I called.

She dropped the knife and hugged me, then Elijah. "You guys will not believe the crap day I'm having," she said when she let Elijah go.

"We'll take you home," Elijah told her.

"Wait, there's something you need to know about the baby," she said to Elijah.

He stopped, but Hayley eyed me warily, unsure if she should continue.

"I'm not going to tell Niklaus!" I promised.

She explained that her child had hybrid blood and Klaus only wanted her so he could rebuild his army. "Klaus has to know! It's the only explanation. He could care less about the baby. He just wants her to be born so he can use her to make more sired hybrids…Although the way Duane was acting it was more like he was sired to me…"

"I should take you home," Elijah repeated.

"Are you serious? Home to what?" she cried.

"Hayley, we're a family now," I tried explaining. "We'll always take care of you."

"I can take care of myself. I've done it for a long time," she sneered and walked off back into the bayou.

I sighed, annoyed that this wasn't yet over.

"Come on." Elijah bent his knees and stood in front of me.

I jumped on him, piggyback style and we followed the girl at a safe distance.

We followed her to a shack on the water. Klaus emerged from said hut, a bloodstained hole in his shirt declaring that he'd been staked.

"I see you've found our wandering stray," he said. "Perhaps she could shed some light on the situation. "This," he kicked a corpse. "Appears to be the body of a hybrid."

"His name was Duane," Hayley growled.

"Well, whoever he was, I didn't sire him. Any idea how that's possible?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Hayley started toward him, but I stepped in front of her to prevent a fight. "As if you didn't know," she hissed.

"Well come on then, what horrible accusation did you conspire to levee against me?" he welcomed an attack with open arms.

"Tyler Lockwood brought Hayley here to test a theory," Elijah took the bait. "That the blood of her child could be used to sire hybrids. He claims you knew that. Furthermore, you intended to use this knowledge to build an army."

"And of course you assume it's me. I mean, why else would I show any interest in my own flesh and blood?" Klaus snarled. "A heartbroken, little crybaby points his finger at me and my own brother falls in line, eager to believe it. How quickly you assume the worst."

"Oh spare me your indignation," Elijah rolled his eyes. "When have you demonstrated any kind of concern towards Hayley or her child beyond your own selfish pursuits. And what was it you once said to me? Every king needs an heir."

"My big brother," Klaus shakes his head. "So you doubt my intentions. Well I can't say I'm surprised. Standing beside the noble Elijah how could I be anything but the lesser brother; a liar, a manipulator, bastard. That's all I am to you, isn't it? And Rebekah. And judging by the way Hayley hangs on your every word it's clear she feels the same way. No doubt the child will as well." With each word the venom grew.

Elijah realized his mistake, but it was too late. The damage had been done. "Brother if I have-"

"We have said all that needs to be said, brother," Klaus interrupted with a snarl. "I'll play the role I have been given," he declared, the hurt wiped from his face. He pounced on Elijah, biting his neck.

"No!" I growled and tried to pull Klaus from his brother. I held on to Elijah, inspecting the wound.

"Enjoy your time in the bayou," he smirked. "You'll have much to bond over once the hallucinations and dementia set in. Consider that bite my parting gift." He pushed past Hayley and she let him go.

"I'll be right back," I told Elijah and ran after Klaus. "What the fuck was that?" I yelled when I caught up with him.

"He'll live," Klaus shrugged.

"That's not the point," I sighed. "You know, not everyone thinks your completely awful, but that was pretty low."

"You're the only one and that's cause you're just. like. me," he responded, getting in my face. "Take care of my brother. I'll see you in a few days."

When I returned to the shack Hayley was going through the owner's possessions, trying to find some remnants of her family and Elijah was helping. I stopped him to take another look at the bite. Darkened veins around the puncture wounds showed that the venom was already beginning to spread.

"Will he be alright?" Elijah asked.

I nodded.

"You're thinking about him?" Hayley scoffed. "What about you? Will you be alright?"

"The bite won't kill me," he told her. "Like Niklaus himself, it's more of a nuisance than anything. But perhaps I was too willing to condemn him. In the thousand years we have been together my brother has committed numerous unspeakable acts. But then again, so has Rebekah, so have I, so has Elizabetta; her probably more so than most of my family and yet I've never loved anyone like I love her."

"So did I the last time I was in Cabo. We all do bad things. It's just that most people die before the list gets embarrassing. But don't for a second compare yourself to Klaus," Hayley tries to comfort him.

I growled at her. "Niklaus is an asshole, but he isn't the Antichrist. If he really wanted to hurt Elijah he would have bitten me. Werewolf venom would kill me unless Elijah returned on bended knee begging for his brother's blood. It was not a violent outburst, he knew what he was doing. He still wants a family."

They both stared at me and I blinked. I hadn't meant to do that, but I know exactly what had come over me _you're just like me_ , Klaus's words rang in my ears. I ran out of the shack, but stopped once I stepped off the porch. I felt arms wrap around my waist. I leaned back into Elijah and neither of us spoke aloud. It was a waste of words to say something we already knew.


	17. Chapter 17

The fever began sometime in the night. The wound on Elijah's neck still led and his forehead was soaked in sweat. I sat in a chair, gently petting him.

"Here drink this," Hayley offered him a glass of water.

He took it, but was he swallowed began coughing violently and ended up spitting all the water back up. "Forgive me," he sighed.

"Remind me to annihilate your brother when you're healthy," Hayley took the cup from him.

"Yes, remind me to remind you to get in line," he chuckled and I was glad to see that he was still himself. "Listen, this fever will make me unstable. When the hallucinations begin, I'll start to see things. I will start to say things. You must leave me."

"No one's going anywhere," I told him.

Throughout the day we shifted positions. I sat on the bed with his head in my lap as Elijah slept.

"Celeste?" he muttered.

"It's me, Eli," I sighed.

"Elizabetta," he opened his eyes. "Forgive me." He looked about him and sniffed. "We're being watched, call Hayley in."

I left him to find Hayley down by the water. "Eli says someone's watching us, you should come inside."

She listened to me and peered out through the shack's window. She flung open the door and ran out. "Hey!" She shouted. "Hey!"

I followed her out on to the porch, but didn't see who she was yelling at.

"She ran away," Hayley explained.

"Oh, well," I shrugged. "Listen, I'm not a caretaker. I touch things and they die. I've always been okay with that, but Eli is my best friend and I want to be the one taking care of him, but I have no fucking clue what I'm doing."

"It's alright, I've got you," she smiled. "There's a large bowl inside that I'm gonna fill with water. You find a cloth. We'll keep that on his forehead to try to keep the temperature down, okay?"

I did as she said and pressed the cold cloth to his forehead.

"Please, this fever, my mind is flooded with these torturous memories you two have to leave," he said.

"What is your deal?" Hayley huffed. "You don't like people taking care of you?"

"There are consequences for those who care. I will not have you pay that price," he responded.

"You let Liz care," she retorted.

"She is a dangerous killer, I don't have to worry about her," his words turned into another coughing fit.

I gently stroked his cheek. "No one is leaving, Eli, get over it."

He sighed. "What about our visitor? What does she want?"

"I'm guessing she's the one that left the mystery Bible on the doorstep last night. It'd be nice if she'd stick around long enough to tell me why," Hayley answered.

"You came here to find information about your family, not to play nursemaid to a vampire with a temperature. Please, find her. Learn what you can," he told her.

"No I'm staying. Do you really think Liz is your best choice for a nurse?" she joked.

I understood she wanted to lighten the mood and that she wanted a valid reason for sticking around, but it hurt. I felt like she betrayed me. I wanted Eli to think that I knew how to take care of my family. Had he not been so sick, I probably would have confronted her about it.

It was not long after Elijah jerked forward with a scream. He fell off the cot to his knees. Cautiously, Hayley approached him.

"Get out!" He growled. "I'll kill you, you bastard!" He grabbed her by the throat and pinned her against the wall.

I grabbed onto his shoulders in an attempt to pull him off of her, but with his free arm he pushed me away and I hit the wall with a thud. I groaned and tried to lift myself up, but it had hurt more than I had expected. I watched though as a slight, blonde woman entered the house and drove a stake through his heart from the back. He fell over, releasing Hayley. I stood and brushed myself off, startling the woman.

"I'm not going to hurt you," I held up my hands in response to her defensive position.

"We need to talk," she told Hayley and the wolf led the woman outside.

I pulled the stake from Elijah's back and moved him back onto the cot. I sat beside him, waiting for him to wake up. It was after dark when he finally did wake and the wound on his neck had completely healed.

"Who staked me?" he asked.

"Come on," I stood up and started outside. I noticed that he picked up the stake as he followed.

Outside, Hayley was sitting by a fire with the woman.

"Good evening," Elijah greeted and the woman jumped to her feet, terrified. "I think I might have something which belongs to you," he held out the stake.

"Are you okay?" Hayley asked.

"The wound has healed, the fever is broken, but for some strange reason, I have a sharp and lingering sensation in my back," he answered.

"I have to get home," she told the woman. "But I'll be back, okay? I need to know more."

"So who the hell is she?" I asked as we walked towards the car.

"I just met part of my family."

Elijah pulled up to the plantation house and Hayley leaned forward in her seat. "Well, let's get this over with," she said to us and hopped out of the car.

"Elizabetta," Elijah put his hand on mine, stopping me from following Hayley. "I want to apologize for the fact that in my fevered state I thought of Celeste. I-"

"I know," I interrupted, never being one for gooey feeling talk or sincere apologies. "It's alright. I still love you. You lost her tragically and I'm still here."

The two of us went inside, but Elijah suggested that Hayley wait on the stoop.

Inside, Klaus has a silver dagger to Rebekah's throat.

"Niklaus, don't you dare," Elijah said.

Klaus whipped around, letting Rebekah go and I grabbed her. "Perhaps it should be you," he pointed the dagger at Elijah. "Stealing my child away with every moment of fawning tenderness shown to Hayley."

"This has nothing to do with Hayley," Elijah tried to reason.

"It has everything to do with her!" Klaus shouted. "She's adored you since she's arrived and now my child, my blood will grow up to call you Father!"

"That's a bit extreme, Niklaus," I said. "No one is trying to cut you out."

"We don't abandon you, Nik," Rebekah chimed in. "You drive us away."

He lowered the dagger, taken aback. "Is that so?" he snarled, his eyes welling up with tears.

God, I hated it when he cried. It always made me feel shitty.

"What have I done lately other than cooperate? Bow down to you, Brother, to make up for daggering you for the greater good of our plan to reclaim our home. Look the other way, Sister, while you repeat the same cycle with Marcel, falling again for a man you shouldn't be with! While he controls the empire that we built; that he took. Now, I made no excuses for past sins, but in the one moment when you could have chosen to stand by me, to believe in me, believe my intentions for my own child were pure, you chose to stand against me; to side with my enemies! I wanted our home back. Now I have it, so I'm going to live there. Liz can join me if she wishes, but the two of you can stay here and rot." He flipped the dagger around and handed the pommel to Elijah. He pushed past his brother, leaving us in silence.

"Well, we done fucked up," I commented.

"You didn't do anything," Rebekah sneered. "Didn't you hear? You're welcome to go live with him."

I rolled my eyes at her. "He knows I'm not going anywhere without Eli. I never have."


	18. Chapter 18

I woke up late, already noon, late. I was dressed and walking down the stairs as Bex and Eli walked in. He was wearing dark pants and a black peacoat. "Where have you guys been?" I knitted my eyebrows together.

Rebekah walked right past me. "I'm done for the day."

"How do you feel about a trip to the bayou?" Elijah asked.

"Not particularly warm and fuzzy," I answered honestly. "Why?"

"To stop Marcel's vampires under Klaus's orders from killing the wolves," he explained.

I had never been friends with the wolves, but I always respected them. "Yeah, why not?" I grabbed my jacket and followed Eli back out of the house.

"Find them and bring me some heads," Diego ordered.

"I'd rather you didn't," Elijah stepped forward.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" Diego sneered.

"I've come to suggest you seek other hunting ground," Elijah replied calmly.

"Suggestion noted." Diego didn't move an inch.

I walked up to him and put a hand, gently on his face. "He's suggesting. I'm threatening. And you're too pretty to die."

"The hell you care about wolves?" He pushed my hand away.

"Generally, I don't," Elijah answered him. "However, this particular clan is not to be touched."

"Nothing here, anyway," Diego grumbled before leaving with the other vampires.

I turned to Elijah, but he looked like there was something more he needed to do. Without a word, he sped off. Knowing he spotted something or someone important, I followed.

"Hello again," he greeted a slight, blonde woman. "Eve is it?"

"Hayley sent you here to protect us, didn't she?" the woman asked us. "Tell her we appreciate the concern, but we've been looking out for ourselves for a while now. No one finds us unless we wanna be found."

" _We_ found _you_ ," I pointed out.

"Like I said," she continued. "There's something I thought you and your family should know about." She pulled out a piece of paper which she unfolded to reveal a map. "We're surrounded by 20,000 acres of swamp. The ones born here know it like the backs of our hands. We'll be fine, but here," she pointed north. "New comers from out of state. Not Hayley's and mine's kin, but word spread about that baby of hers. Lot of werewolves wanna see this miracle pregnancy for themselves. Only now the vampires are out looking for blood and all these werewolves new to the bayou, they might not know where to hide. Believe me. You're gonna want them kept alive."

"And why is that?" Elijah asked.

"See for yourself," she challenged.

The north end of the bayou was covered in tents and campers that were darked. "Eli, what are we doing here?" I sighed as he opened the door to one of the campers. "We all know I'm not the rescuing type."

Elijah slammed the door shut when he found it empty.

"Let's not and tell Hayley we did. That way you can impress the girl and we can go home."

"I'm not trying to impress her, Elizabetta," Elijah sighed.

I rolled my eyes. "Then what the hell is all of this for? I'm exhausted and horny and hungry and covered in mud."

Elijah closed the space between us, obviously intending to kiss me when a group of people came running around the bend being chased by vampires. One at the end of the pack was caught and bitten, but Elijah intervened and grabbed Diego by his hair.

"Darling we have to stop meeting like this. This is how rumors begin," Elijah grinned at the boy as he released him. "You can go now."

Diego didn't react.

"Perhaps, I'm not making myself clear," Elijah continued. "You have precisely three minutes time to depart or become the prey. Now based on your recent failure to subdue my baby brother, Niklaus, this despite a better than 100 to 1 advantage, I recommend you head my warning."

Diego spit at Elijah's feet before taking his suggestion.

I growl and lunge at him, pissed off at the disrespect, but Elijah grabbed my arm, holding me back. He pulled me into his chest and I tugged at the hem of his shirt. Could we go home now?

"Who are you people?" One of the wolves asked, getting up off the ground.

Elijah let go of me to touch the pendant around the wolf's throat. It's a ring with a knotted pattern carved into it. "I would say the better question is who are you?"

On the ride home, Elijah drives with one hand on the wheel the other one on my upper thigh.

"You're playing a dangerous game, my friend," I teased.

Without a word or even a glance my way, Elijah trailed his hand up and slipped his fingers into the waistband of my pants. I gasped in surprise. I saw the corner of his mouth twitch up as he continued by rubbing my clit. I let at a small moan. His hand moved inside of my panties and his fingers went inside of me. I bit my lip to keep from calling out. This only made him more aggressive. I came just as we pulled into the driveway of the plantation house.

I fixed myself and leaned over to kiss Elijah on the lips, placing a hand on the back of his neck. He kissed me back, pulled away after only a second. "We have to go in, don't we?" I asked.

"Yes, love," he kissed me again and we left the car. "I owe you."

Inside we see Niklaus at the piano while Bex is sitting across the way, petrified.

"Hello, brother," Klaus greeted Elijah.

"Niklaus?" I sat down on the piano bench next to him, as he hit keys. I couldn't tell if he was sad or drunk or both.

He ignores me and addresses his older brother. "When I order werewolves to be hunted to extinction, I expect you to stand aside and let the blood flow."

"How delightfully democratic of you," Elijah sneered and tossed the ring he commandeered from the wolf. Klaus caught the piece of jewelry and inspected it. "You recognize it? Perhaps you don't. It has been 1000 years since you last saw it grace the hand of our mother. The ring was in possession of one of the very wolves whose extinction you just ordered. So naturally, I questioned him. He spoke of a legend wherein long ago, a chief of theirs had fathered a child to a very powerful witch. Their mythology further states this child, a son, was alter transformed into something this clan had never before seen; something werewolf and vampire."

"Niklaus, we're trying to make amends here!" I said. "We found the rest of your family and kept them from being slaughtered."

"Your ambitions have come before this family for far too long," Elijah told him. "I beseech you, please come home."

"What home?" Niklaus growled. "This pathetic substitute? You see despite all your doubts, all your attempts to thwart me, I have reclaimed our true home. I took back the entire city!"

"You have the audacity to boast of your victory when the mother of your child remains your prisoner," Elijah yelled.

I glared at Elijah, hoping he would stop before this got any uglier. Sometimes, you just had to let Klaus win.

Niklaus rose from his seat, angered. "Even if this what you say it is," he clutched the ring. "I've had enough family to last me a lifetime. Why would I possibly want anymore?"

I watched with baited breath, assuming he would harm Elijah, but instead Klaus only pushed past his brother on his way out the door.


	19. Chapter 19

It is hard to squeeze a pregnant girl into a non-maternity dress from the 1700s. The dress was white and lacy with buttons down the back making it better suited for a wedding than the casket girl celebration. Elijah walked into the room wearing jeans, a white t-shirt, and dark jacket.

"Do you ladies need some help?" he grinned.

"Not even Liz's vampire strength is helping," Hayley sighed.

"Come here," I told him. "We'll tag team it."

There was no hook and eye at the top of the zipper so I help the two sides of fabric together and Elijah was able to get the zipper up, closing the dress.

"Thanks," Hayley said and admired herself in the mirror. "Not many pregnant casket girls I guess."

I admire her too in the white gown and sigh, wishing I had a wedding gown.

"All knocked up and nowhere to go," she laughed.

"I'm going! I'll look after you if you want to come along," I offer.

"I don't know if that's the best idea, Elizabetta," Elijah warned.

Hayley smiled at me. "He's right. You don't exactly keep out of trouble."

I shrugged and let Elijah escort me from the room.

"Wait!" Haley called. "Do you mind?"

I looked at Elijah until we walked back across the room to unzip her dress. "She looks beautiful in the wedding dress," I comment as we walk away again.

When Elijah doesn't respond, I playfully hit him on the shoulder and announce that I am going to find Klaus in order to excuse myself from the situation.

Klaus was in his study, sketching. I sat down on the other side of his desk, without waiting for an invitation. "So how did Elijah convince you to let him and Bex move back here?" I asked.

"Family," he smirked, not actually answering my question.

Marcellus walked in and Klaus actually stood up. "What's this about?" Marcellus asked.

"Davina has flown the coup," Klaus informed him.

Elijah walked in only a moment later. I stood next to Klaus, ready to hunt Davina down at a word and also separating myself from Elijah.

"Her violin is missing. She may have left of her own volition," Elijah suggested.

"What did you say to her in the attic?" Marcellus challenged Elijah. "She lied to my face so she could stay up there, thinking that you'd help her control her magic. How do we know that you didn't take her?"

"If I had taken a sixteen year old girl, I think someone would have noticed," Elijah replied calmly, looking straight at me. "Can I suggest you take a step back?"

"Elijah had nothing to do with this," I confirm.

"If she's fled, what's to stop her from destroying us?" Klaus proposes. "In fact, destroying all we've worked for. If she is not a friend to this family, than she is our enemy."

"She is a friend, Klaus," Marcellus said confidently.

"Well let's hope so. Lucky for you I know how to get her back. Follow my lead," Klaus told us.

I followed him out of the study without question, assuming that Elijah and Marcellus would follow as well.

We divided up to canvas the festival. Marcellus and Elijah were one team and I was with Klaus although I thought Marcellus should have been with Klaus to calm his violent urges as Elijah could calm mine.

Marcellus was speaking to Elijah and had to lean in to be heard over the music. "Ah, you two look rather cozy," Klaus commented.

"Hardly," Marcellus defended himself. "I was just telling Elijah how we're wasting time."

"You don't like festivals?" Klaus grinned at him.

"I don't see why not," Rebekah appeared from nowhere. "Who doesn't love a street fair?"

"Sister," Klaus sneered. "Come to help us find our stray?"

Elijah reached across the group of people to pull me away from Klaus. He places me by his side, his arm reaching in front of me, holding my far hand.

"We can't let your secret weapon get in the wrong hands now, can we?" Rebekah responded sardonically.

"For the record, we are moments away from retrieving her," Klaus informed us.

"I recognize that tone of voice, Niklaus," Elijah said. "Clearly you have some diabolical machination. What is it?"

We were left to watch as Klaus walked up to some young boy in a suit who was carrying a violin case. "Timothy? Might I have a word?" he began to use compulsion.

I sat in the courtyard and listened to Timothy play his violin from the beam Klaus compelled him to it on, about twenty feet up in the air.

"Where's Rebekah gotten off to?" Klaus asked, descending the stairs into the courtyard.

"It's not Rebekah that I'm concerned about. And how can you be so certain that Davina will come?" Elijah replied.

"Would you not come for Liz?" Klaus pointed out.

"Are the maudlin theatrics absolutely necessary, Niklaus?" Elijah questioned.

I stood and joined them. "It does make a great scene," I grinned.

"You both have a point," Klaus conceded. "Timothy, play something a little more upbeat, please. That's a good lad."

Marcellus returned and Klaus sighed. "Took you long enough to spread the word."

"Well, have you met his nightwalkers? Not the brightest assortment," Elijah commented and I chuckled.

"All that matters is I got it covered," Marcellus replied. "When Davina gets here, you two need to let me do the talking."

"Well, I'm sure you'll have your chance," Klaus answered, looking past Marcellus. "Hello, luv. Silence is golden, Timothy, thank you."

The violin stopped. "Davina?" Timothy asked from his balcony seat.

"You got me here, now let him down," Davina demanded as she entered the courtyard.

"Well, first we need to have a little chat," Klaus told her. "About you returning to the fold."

"What did I say, Klaus?" Marcellus interrupted. "I got this. D, what happened? Why'd you run? Hey, talk to me. I can make it right."

Davina sneered at him. "How? By threatening my friend?"

"Actually that was my idea," Klaus interrupted. "I've been known to go too far to make a point, but I do always get results."

"You pretend to be so confident, but I know the truth," Davina declared to him. "You're afraid everyone can see what you really are. An animal." She brought Klaus to his knees, forcing on his Change. When the rest of us tried to rush her, she threw us backwards with the flick of her wrist. "A beast. Why don't you show us your real face?"

He screamed in agony.

"That's enough of you." She tossed him to the side and he fell limply.

I ran to make sure he was alright and she let me.

"Davina, you don't have to do this," Elijah said.

"You!" she growled. "You looked me in the eyes and lied to my face! Pretended you wanted to help me." She changed her mind about torturing Elijah and picked me up with her magic.

"No!" I heard Elijah plead. "Listen to me!"

"You call yourself the noble one, but you're a killer," she told him while causing me pain. "Just like your brother. Just like her."

I thought my brain was exploding and my lungs were flooding. I couldn't take anymore and I screamed. I heard her voice, but it faded in and out. I didn't know if she was speaking to me or Elijah.

"…you fed on innocent blood, sisters, mothers, lovers…was her blood?" Davina's voice echoed.

I began coughing, choking. Blood was filling my throat and I couldn't breathe. I fell over, unable to remain upright and then everything went black.

My eyes fluttered open and my head was in Elijah's lap. He was using a handkerchief to wipe the blood from my chin, but I could feel that it was already crusty. His white shirt was stained, too. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Klaus. I heard a groan that must have been from Marcellus. I pushed myself up off of Elijah and he stood as well.

"Well, isn't this monumentally awkward?" Elijah reached out to help Marcellus stand up.

"Rebekah, where are you-" Klaus said into his cell phone. "Well, I tried to talk to her out of respect for Marcel-No, it wouldn't. You see the poison I compelled Timothy to feed her is quite potent."

The plan must have worked, Davina must have had the water we gave Timothy.

Marcellus started towards Klaus, but Elijah grabbed his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

"It's just a matter of time for her-" Klaus continued on the phone. "There is no dealing with those who threaten us. Davina sealed her fate when she stood against me. This was her choice, not mine." Klaus hung up his phone, looked at Elijah and Marcellus and laughed. "Oh come on. The stench of your judgment is overwhelming; Liz doesn't mind."

"Liz has the emotional range of a teaspoon," Marcellus commented.

"Need I remind you, Davina just bested the lot of us," Nik growled. "I did what had to be done. Don't worry, Elijah, I remain as redeemable as ever."

Elijah grimaced. "So you compelled that boy to poison Davina without consulting either Marcel or myself."

Klaus only shrugged.

"You know what the worst part is?" Marcellus asked. "That you're so predictable, I had to make an alliance with your brother, who I don't even like."

"Judging by your expression you have something you'd like to share," Klaus said.

"Damn right I do!" Marcellus declared and launched into an explanation of how he has protected the witch.

Klaus felt the need to confirm everything Marcellus was saying. "So when you slipped away to allegedly check on your nightwalkers, you were in fact colluding with a witch. That's very clever. I suppose I should be proud."

"Eh, I just wanted to make sure I had a failsafe," Marcellus shrugged. "Just in case, as Elijah expected, you started acting like you."

"Wait a second!" He was taking the fall for my actions.

Klaus ignored me and continued arguing with Marcellus. "Except that now you've involved the witches. Who, last time I checked, were enemies to us all; to everything we have, and to our family."

"Davina is Marcel's family, Niklaus," Elijah spoke, approaching Klaus as he challenged him. "Or did that somehow slip your mind as you tried to take her life?"

I wormed my way in between them, trying to prevent a physical conflict. "Okay, guys, look."

Klaus pulled me out from the center and moved me behind himself. "No, Elijah," he sighed, defeated.

"You will call Rebekah," Elijah ordered his little brother. "You will tell her that Davina will recover. Do wish the same could be said for that boy."

When Elijah and Marcellus were out of earshot I turned to Klaus. "What the hell was that?" I demanded.

"My brother already thinks the worst of me. What's one more murder?"

I shook my head. "You guys need to make up, not be growing further apart."

"And if he knew you were behind the poison?" Klaus snarled. "That would tear you two apart. He needs you more than he needs me."

Elijah returned, having changed out of his blood covered clothes. He wore a dark sweater with a high collar. It only zipped halfway, and that zipper was unzipped. The shirt he wore underneath was a gray cotton t, and the sweater's sleeves were rolled to his elbows. I realized then, that I was still covered in my own blood. I excused myself and went to clean up.

Rebekah came back, carrying Davina bridal style.

"Is she okay?" Marcellus asked.

"She's devastated and exhausted," Rebekah answered. "Where's her room?"

Marcellus convinced Rebekah to hand the girl over. I noticed Klaus defensively cross his arms as Rebekah stared him down. She turned and left without even noticing me.

I went back up the stairs I had just descended to find Elijah. He was sitting on the floor of his room, trying to piece together several large charcoal drawings like a jigsaw puzzle.

"What's with the drawings?" I asked.

"Davina's sketches," he answered.

"You know you said you owed me," I teased.

He looked up and smirked. "Delayed gratification, luv."

"For you or for me?"

"For me," he smiled, but then turned back to the drawings. "I think these might be a premonition. Something's coming. Something sinister."

I sighed and knelt down beside him. "It's a face, babe." I rearranged the drawings for him. I stepped back to look at it. "Celeste."


	20. Chapter 20

There was a sinking feeling in my stomach. She couldn't be coming back, not after all this time.

"We have to tell the others," Elijah said.

I squeaked out an agreement and then bolted from the room.

"Elizabetta!" I heard Elijah call after me, but I didn't turn around. I knew he wasn't following. He was too concerned with his family and now Celeste.

I needed a fight. I needed to spill some blood. I didn't go far, just across the river to Old Algiers, where Marcellus's rules about the locals didn't apply. I struggled to tell the difference between tourists and locals; to me they were all strange and foreign.

I was feasting on a family of four when the city began to shake. I was no expert, but I didn't think earthquakes were common in the area. Turning on the family's television to listen to the news, I finished my meal. The lady on the screen explained there was a sudden quake in New Orleans.

I initially panicked. What if something had happened to my surrogate family? I raced onto the streets and was nearly blown over by the hurricane-strength winds. I powered against them. One foot in front of the other, I kept telling myself, until I found myself outside of the house and completely exhausted.

"Why the hell does it feel like Ragnarok in this city?" I demanded as I entered.

Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah were having some kind of family meeting that I was crashing.

"Good, you're back," Klaus didn't answer my question. "We're helping with the creation of an elder for the witches and sacrificing Davina."

I looked towards Elijah. He was wearing a charcoal button down. "Elijah? What?" I had missed so much. "Can I just talk to Elijah?" I desperately asked the group.

Maybe Klaus and I were not that much alike. Klaus would have just stormed in and said what he needed to say. All we have in common is bloodlust.

"If we don't do this, the city will be destroyed and they'll be nothing for us to talk about," Elijah told me gently.

"Fine," I grimaced. "But now you owe me twice."

We stood in the torrential downpour, huddled under shared umbrellas. I stood next to Elijah while Rebekah and Klaus stood next to us. Hayley had her own umbrella as did Father Kieran, leading the burial/blood spell.

Klaus started with the knife to spill the blood over his mother's open grave. It passed around the circle until it reached me. Not a blood relation, I passed it to Hayley as she was carrying the youngest member of the family.

I wondered, rather irreverently, if we would keep with the Old Norse tradition and the baby would be Klausson or Klausdottir or if as Rebekah was also called Mikaelson, they have anglicized and everyone was now a Mikaelson.

When the ceremony was completed, we made our way to the cemetery for the harvest. Unable to remain under the umbrellas and run, I ended up completely drenched. I was soaked to the bone. If I was human, I'd be in fear of dying of hypothermia.

"Fire." Sophie points out that the pathways of the cemetery were spontaneously combusting.

Marcellus was carrying Davina and the fire burned behind them.

"Do you believe in the harvest?" Sophie asked when Marcellus set her down by the other girl's bodies.

"I believe," Davina answered.

Sophie slit Davina's throat and the girl collapsed. The rain stopped and the fire disappeared. Moments passed and the girls did not rise. We waited a while longer and one by one you could see the hope disappearing from faces.

I knew better than to say at least we saved the city. I knew better than to ask where that power had gone.

Elijah walked me home after the failed harvest and reaping. The streets were empty for New Orleans and I attributed it to the "natural" disasters.

"Wait," Elijah put a hand on my arm to keep me from continuing walking. "I know we need to talk and this probably isn't the right time or place, but still." He shoved his hands into his pockets.

"I miss you, Elijah," I said.

"I know," he smiled sadly and pulled out a small box. "I know this is bad timing, but I need you to know how much you mean to me. A thousand years, and you are only the third person I have ever fallen in love with and you've stuck by me through the others. I know you are going to be the last person for me to fall in love with."

I open the box he handed to me as he spoke. Inside was a diamond ring. I slipped it on to my left ring finger and looked at my Eli as I tried not to cry. I put my hands on either side of his face and kissed him.

"I love you," he said in case I had missed his point earlier. "And I will never let you."

"Don't worry. I'm not leaving."


	21. Chapter 21

I hadn't seen Marcellus without a bottle since Davina died. I watched as the vampires gathered in the courtyard and Marcellus picked up his bottle and glass to move. At lease he was drinking out of a glass.

"Dearest brethren, your attention please," Klaus called the vampires to him. "No doubt you'll all surprised to see Thierry Vanchure who's supposed to be rotting in the garden for the crime of killing one of our own and I personally decided to issue him with a pardon. I hope you'll all welcome home, Thierry!"

The group cheered and I looked to Elijah who was leaning against a pillar. He wore a navy suit with a chocolate tie and a pale blue shirt. "What's he up to?" I asked.

"I don't know," he murmured.

"Now, as you all know, the witch Davina is no longer with us," Klaus continued. "Without Davina we can no longer monitor the activity of our which neighbors; however, since their harvest failed, their magic will soon be gone forever. Until then, I say we keep them on their toes. Diego, I wonder if you might lead a rousting in the cauldron."

Everyone agreed enthusiastically, except for Marcellus who left.

I grabbed Elijah's tie and began walking back upstairs. He followed obediently, but not without question: "What are you doing?"

"You," I answered simply. "You've been very tightly wound lately."

"There are important things to do; like find your maker," he grumbled.

I pulled him into my lips. "You are free to run around and pick up this family's mess after you make me come," I breathed.

In a second, I was underneath him on the bed.

"Why's Thierry drinking alone?" I pointed out. "I thought that was Marcellus's shtick."

"Rebekah has been upset with Niklaus," Elijah mused. "Perhaps even conspiring with others…Thierry, is it?"

"That's right," the vampire answered cautiously.

"You know, my sister is rather fond of you," Elijah told him. "Strange, she's not typically drawn to unremarkable me. Would you care to explain your sudden magnetism?"

"I don't know what you're-"

Elijah grabbed Thierry by the throat before he could finish his sentence and pinned him against the wall. "You can either tell me what you know or I can distribute tiny pieces of you throughout the quarter, Liz enjoys tearing off limbs."

"She asked me to keep an eye out on witch stuff!" he squeaked. "I found something and when I showed her we were jumped by some guy. He desiccated her with his touch!"

"Like a coward, you left her!" Elijah growled.

"What was I supposed to do? Fight some warlock that took out an Original?" he gasped.

"Where was the exactly?" Hayley asked. I hadn't even noticed her join us.

"The docks. Warehouse 57," Thierry answered immediately. "I was just doing what she asked. You cannot tell Klaus about this!"

Elijah throw him against the opposite wall. "I shall take that into consideration."

Rebekah was in the warehouse just as Thierry said. She looked like a corpse in the center of a salt circle.

"Rebekah!" Elijah cried as soon as he spotted her.

We ran towards her, but could not pass over the salt.

"What's happening?" Hayley asked.

"Magic," I grumbled.

"Someone is channeling her," Elijah explained. "Typically it's a lethal process, but because she is an Original she cannot die. Instead, she's an endless source of power. We have to get her out of there."

"Should I find Niklaus?" I asked.

Elijah nodded. "I think that might be for the best. I'm going to call Sophie Deveraux."

I returned to the compound where Klaus had gathered all of the vampires, including the Nightwalkers. My phone buzzed with a text from Elijah. _Say nothing. Rebekah is safe._ I put the phone away and stood amongst the crowd, looking up at Klaus.

He said that they must prove themselves to him because he was trusting in not killing them for uniting against him under Marcellus. "Our community is under attack and I require soldiers. I need warriors, not cowards. Each of you has a decision to make. Either you fight alongside me or you leave…now!"

Thierry was the first to step forward. "We don't owe you anything! If staying in the quarter means living under your rule, I'd just as soon get the hell out."

Dozens left after him, but the rest of us stepped forward and closer together. I looked at the faces around me. I didn't know most of them, but Diego was there and a few others from Marcellus's inner-circle. I still felt I had to make it up to him for conspiring to kill him with Elijah. The two of us were going on killing sprees together before Elijah had even warmed up to me.


	22. Chapter 22

After returning from the reopening mass at St. Ann's, we found Papa Tunde, murdered in our home. He had been presented in the center of the courtyard for us to find. Elijah, wearing a brown suit with a darker brown tie, a white shirt and pocket square, knelt down to examine the body.

"Can I get you anything, brother-magnifying glass, a pipe perhaps?" Klaus chuckled.

"Do you have a theory that you'd like to share with us, Niklaus?" he brother sighed.

"Back in the day when the witches wanted to send a threat, they'd just kill a chicken and leave it on your doorstep," Marcellus pointed out.

"It's rather a large and ominous chicken, wouldn't you say?" Elijah stood and brushed himself off.

"Papa Tunde defeated Rebekah with ease, almost got the two of us as well. If he was supposed to be their prized fighter, why leave him for dead in our front yard?" Klaus shared his concern.

Rebekah showed up, interrupting the brain trust's investigation. "We don't you all look cheery," she commented. "Listen to this. A girl literally exploded from a grave today as Sabine was giving her tour of the City of the Dead. It was Monique Deveraux."

So Papa Tunde was dead and the power returned to a harvest girl. This was not good.

"The tourists thought it was part of the show," Rebekah continued. "But the witches are celebrating like it's some kind of bloody miracle."

"Maybe it is," Marcellus grinned, excited. "They think that all hope is lost, but now suddenly a harvest girl is resurrected. This is how we're gonna get Davina back; kill the witch that took her place."

"Celeste!" I chimed in. "Think about it: Davina was drawing these pictures of her and talking about a great evil. What else could it mean?"

"First Papa Tunde returns to settle old scores. Now your murdered ex-lover is back. This isn't witches attacking vampires. They're declaring war on us," Klaus announced.

I find Elijah after he ran off to the study. He was staring at the picture of Celeste. I go to him, putting my arms around his waist, under his jacket. He kissed my forehead. "This won't change," he said about Celeste's return.

"I never doubted," I lied. H had in fact known just what I had been thinking.

"Is it too early for Scotch?" Rebekah asked, strutting in.

"Never. Pour me a glass," I grinned, not letting go of Elijah.

"It is entirely too early if one intends to drive, yes," Elijah told her.

Rebekah handed me a glass and returned to the drink cart to get her own. "Funny, I don't have plans to go anywhere."

"Hayley's not safe. I need you to take her to the plantation house until this is over," Elijah explained.

"Are you worried about Hayley or whether or not you can trust me?" she sneered.

"It is precisely because I trust you that I'm asking you to do this," Elijah sighed.

"And you need Elizabeth her?"

I smiled. "Come on Bex, I'm the killer of killers."

Rebekah grudgingly agreed and left.

"I need you to stay here. Look into who the other witches might be and find them," Elijah told me.

"Where the hell are you going?" I demand.

"I have to speak with Sabine." He kissed me and then left me standing in the study with a portrait of his ex.

"And he wonders why I like to follow Niklaus," I sighed into the air.

As I'm rifling through old papers and journals, a thought occurred to me. I'm willing to admit it doesn't happen very often since I'm clearly more about brute force. Celeste would feel most betrayed of all the witches the boys had crossed. Her remains held no magic so she must have body jumped. And what modern witch has been at the center of this whole thing?

I ran out of the house in the direction of the Cauldron, looking for Elijah and Sabine. Eventually I caught up to them. "Eli!" I called to get his attention. I grabbed onto his arm and began pulling him away. "It's nice to see you Sabine, but we have to go."

"It's alright, Elizabetta," Elijah said. "I know this is Celeste."

"How did you know?" she asked.

Elijah moved so that his shoulder was in front of me how he did when he was concerned about my safety. "As Davina was drawing your likeness I dared to imagine your presence as near and when Sophie discovered there was no magic in your remains I wondered: could you have possibly cheated death by using your power to place your essence into the body of another?" Elijah explained. "If so, then who? And then I recalled the lovely Sabine. Your visions of my brother's child precipitated the death of the last elder ensuring that the harvest ritual could not be completed unless you were to control it. You have been playing a very long game indeed. To what end?"

"Oh, Elijah, my lost love. After all this time, don't you understand?" she sneered. "I died because of Klaus and even after all his vindictive lies about witches led to my death. You stood by him all because of your vow 'always and forever.'"

Elijah dropped to the ground, grabbing at his collar like he couldn't breathe. I cried out and rushed Sabine, but with a flick of her wrist, I too was on my knees.

"What have you done to me?" Elijah gasped.

"It's a simple enchantment. You don't have to worry," she shrugged. "I'm not here to kill you, Elijah, I'm here to teach you the error of your ways. Always and forever was the greatest mistake of your life-I'm going to cure you of your greatest flaw: your absurd devotion to your lunatic family."

"Your anger is with me, let Elizabetta go! She is not a part of this!" he pleaded.

"Your love blinds you- she is the worst of them all! But my revenge will start with Klaus," Celeste said. "He is going to know pain and torment like he's never felt before. Unless you choose to save him, of course, but then that leaves Rebekah, your tragic sister. She's about to find herself in quite the predicament. You could save her, but then that leaves Hayley in Jeopardy."

"No, no!" Elijah cried.

"The poor girl," Celeste continued. "Oh well, with your body weakened by my spell you won't be able to save them all. Even with the help of Liz. You'll recover with just enough time to choose one; maybe two, but I wouldn't bet on it."

I don't know how long I had been out for, but when I woke up everything hurt. "Eli," I groaned.

"Elizabetta," he groped for my hand. "We have to save my family."

I struggled, but stood up. "Do you want to take the plantation or Niklaus?"

"Plantation," he answered automatically and we split up.


	23. Chapter 23

I caught up with Klaus on the streets of the French Quarter. He was alone, and barely conscious and groaning in agony. "Niklaus!" I cried and ran to him. There was a blood spot on his shirt, but no dagger or stake that I could see. I was worried and wished that I was rescuing Hayley and Bex. Elijah would have a better idea of what to do. "Okay, okay," I said, trying to calm myself down because I don't think he could hear me. "I'm going to get you out of here. It's going to be okay."

"No, no it's not," an older witch approached us.

I shielded him with my body. Elijah may not have been happy with Klaus, but if I should lose him I feared I would lose Elijah. I snarled at her. "Try it, witch." I ran at her and was able to sink my fangs into his neck.

Somehow she managed to throw me off and I went for her ankles, bringing her to the ground beside me. This time when I rushed her, though, she stopped me by holding her hand out and tossed me aside. I was stuck as she stood up and approached me. "My quarrel is not with you," she said and my neck snapped.

When I regained consciousness, Klaus was gone.

Defeated, I trudged back to the compound. Marcellus was there with the other vampires and so was Elijah.

"Every one of you will help me to find my siblings!" Elijah demanded of the crowd. "I will kill them all."

I cleared my throat and he turned to me. "Where's Niklaus?" he asked. "Where's my brother?"

"They took him," I whimpered, shaking my head. "I am so sorry. I failed."

He wrapped me up in his arms. "It's alright. It's not your fault," he tried to comfort me.

I walked in on a shirtless Elijah, his torso and arms covered in tattoos. "What the fuck?"

"I believe they represent the names of the witches Celeste has inhabited for the past two centuries," Elijah explained calmly. "And I need you to make a list of them."

"It's called a devinette," Marcellus explained. "It's an old school kind of riddle. Witches use them to teach their kids: solve it and it disappears."

"I don't get it. What's the point?" I asked.

"Celeste forced us to make a choice and now she is mocking it. The longer the game, the more they suffer," Elijah told me.

"The name next to Sabine, Annie Lafleur," Marcellus pointed to Elijah's forearm. "She was a witch that was shunned from her coven just over a year ago. Never knew why, but I can find out."

It was unspoken that I should babysit Hayley, my demeanor too unstable to deal with witches.

"I want to help," Hayley groaned, staring at the drawing of Celeste that remained on the study floor.

"Yeah, but we can't," I growled at her.

I didn't understand how Klaus and Elijah kept on with their escapades year after year. They had a century on me and I was exhausted, tired of running around after people. I wanted to fuck and kill and be left in peace. The last one seemed impossible as long as I was a part of this family.


	24. Chapter 24

Elijah returned from retrieving Klaus, carrying his brother's body. The blonde boy moaned in agony as Elijah explained that Papa Tunde's blade was in his abdomen. I stood in the doorway and watched as he laid the body on his brother's bed.

"Get Cami," he ordered. "We'll need her help."

When I bring the blonde back to the house, Elijah has removed Klaus's shirt, found himself a knife and was beginning to roll up his sleeves.

"What am I doing here?" she asked.

"I am about to remove Papa Tunde's blade from Niklaus. Considering I am the one that stabbed him, he will have no desire to see me. He will be weak when he wakes. My hopes are that while he heals, you can calm his rage," Elijah explained, and then carefully and calmly began slicing open his brother.

I turned around, unable to watch as Elijah peeled back the skin and plunged his hand inside. The sound of it disgusted me as well and I clasped my hands over my ears. I felt Elijah's hand gently touch my elbow and I removed my hands from my head.

"I need you to come with me," he said.

"Oh, I'm included now?" I ask sardonically.

He frowned at me. "I know that if I leave you alone you'll get yourself into trouble."

"I don't need a fucking babysitter," I growled wondering when I had switched places with Hayley.

"Then prove it," Elijah told me. "This operation is precarious and your impulsiveness could hinder it."

Elijah did not bother putting on a tie or even re-doing the top button of his shirt before we left. In the city of the dead we found Monique Deveraux laying on the floor of a tomb. "When order is restored, your kind won't be allowed in here," she sighed without looking, she knew it was us.

"Well, fortunately, that day has not yet come," Elijah replied. "I need to find Sabine. I believe she has taken someone very important to me."

"And you thought I'd help you?" Monique scoffed as she stood to face us. "Sabine is one of us; committed to the rise of the witches."

"The only thing Sabine is committed to is the destruction of my family," Elijah sneered.

"And that would be a bad thing, why?" she smirked back.

A growl came from the back of my throat and Elijah reached out to calm me.

"Like your mother, my mother was also a witch, a very powerful witch," Elijah tried to remain calm for the both of us. "In fact, because of my family, her power now flows through your veins. No, once Sabine manipulates those around her, she will do what she has always done; she will jump into another body and disappear, leaving your witches powerless."

Monique shook her head, unable to believe what Elijah was saying. How could a stupid little girl have so much power?

"No, she has the faith," Monique protested. "She will see our power restored"

"There's a way of guaranteeing this while also securing the safety of yourself and your kind," Elijah proposed handing her a piece of paper. "Here, this is from my mother's grimoire. Celeste used a similar spell to body jump. If what Sabine says is true, when she sacrifices herself her power will flow back into the earth; however, if she has lied and tries to take another body, the spell will deliver her to a very different destination. Now please, locate Sabine."

Monique took the spell from him, accepting the challenge.

Her spell sent us out to the bayou. The lovely, marshy bayou. Sabine was there as Monique promised, but so was Hayley. Elijah stepped forward, intending to separate them. "Whatever she's promised you is a lie," Elijah spoke to Hayley.

"Elijah, it's okay," Hayley's eyes didn't leave Sabine. "I'm okay,"

"She cannot be trusted!" Elijah pled.

"She's the only one that can help my pack!" Hayley cried back.

"Do you have any idea what she has done to our family?" he hissed.

Hayley sighed. "I know you want revenge, and come the next full moon when I'm sure her cure works, she's all yours."

I barked out laughter. "And how do you plan to hold her for a whole month? It would take an army."

"I've got one," the wolf sneered and was answered by the echoes of howling in the woods. "So help me or get out of my way."  
Elijah disappeared along with Sabine. I let out an audible groan.

"What?" Hayley sneered.

I hadn't planned on answering her at first. I had tried so hard to get along with her; neither of us were truly part of the family and I thought that connected us somehow, but now everything was shit. "Our lives were fine until you let Nik cum inside of you."

Her eyes widened in shock, she clearly didn't expect that of me, but I guess she didn't know me very well after all. "You bitch! You think-"

At that moment she was interrupted by Elijah returning Sabine as well as the jar of magical remedy.

"You came back," Hayley spoke to him, changing her tone mid-sentence.

"Take it," he offered her the potion. "It will work."

Hayley thanked him and ran off with the mason jar, leaving us with Sabine.

"What is it you want?" Elijah rounded on the witch. "What's your end game?"

"Oh this game never ends, Elijah," she chuckled. "We're both immortal, you know."

"Then what's the point if you can't possibly win?" He asked.

Sabine fluttered her eyelashes seductively. "But I have. You just lost the girl."

Elijah shook his head, confused. "Elizabetta is my girl and I will always have her."

Before I could chime in, my cell phone rang and I was informed that Klaus was trying to kill Rebekah. I relayed the information and Elijah promptly bit Sabine. She collapsed into his arms and we were off.


	25. Chapter 25

We brought her to the city of the dead and she woke up almost as if on cue. I tried to stand apart from them, wanting to be left alone to mope, but Elijah put his arms around me and would not let me go.

"You didn't have to bite me to get me here; I wanted front row seats to this show," Sabine laughed.

"What are you going on about?" I sighed. Her games were exhausting.

"The one where Elijah sees your always and forever pact come crashing down. It's a myth," she explains. "A myth I died for."

"And yet here you stand alive," Elijah responded. "For now."

"You know Liz, not that he's sleeping with you, he'll grow bored," Sabine winked at us. "See you around." She backed out of the cemetery. Elijah ran after her, but was stopped at the gates. "I'm afraid you're trapped. Boundary spell: the Originals can enter, but they can't leave."

"You wouldn't," Elijah growled.

"I would and I did. Don't worry, Liz can leave whenever she wishes. I'm actually hoping she sees sense and understands that your family isn't worth the heartache or her life. But it's only a lunar spell so regardless you'll be free by the next moonrise." the witch explained, breaking a candle. She picked up the shattered glass and then stabbed herself in the throat.

Elijah turned to me as she bled out on the ground. "You should go."

I laughed in his face. "Like I won't be able to take care of myself? Nik is going after Bex, not me."

"And if he kills her, you'll die as well."

"Then you'll need my help in protecting her," I took his hand as Monique Deveraux appeared.

"You were right," she admitted and we sped over to the tomb Celeste had originally been buried in.

With a sickening gasp, Celeste's body sat up.

"Hello, Celeste," Elijah spoke calmly.

"How is this possible?" she cried.

"Monique Deveraux and I had a little wager regarding your ability to keep a promise," he explained. "It appears I won. You were so consumed with my downfall that you lost the trust of one of your own."

I smiled, genuinely, for the first time in a while as I produced Papa Tunde's blade and handed it to Elijah.

"Non, mon cheri," she begged. "Non tout est possible. Ce n'est pas fini!"

"Desloée," he whispered to her and the blade pierced her heart.

"Elijah?" Rebekah's voice called, echoing around us.

I rushed forward and hugged her, glad to see she was alright.

"What are you doing here?" her brother demanded. "You should be on the other side of the world by now."

"You and I both know that wouldn't have been far enough," she sighed with her hands still on my hips.

"Get away from her!"

I whipped around to see what animal was yelling. There was such venom in the voice that I could hardly believe it was our Nik talking about his baby sister. Yet there he was, golden eyes and fangs.

"She's mine!" He growled, clutching the white oak stake.

Elijah placed himself between us and Klaus. "Walk away," he ordered evenly. "Leave us, now."

"I can't!" Klaus laughed manically. "I'm stuck here!"

"Take her," Elijah said under his breath.

I grabbed Rebekah's hand and dragged her through the cemetery, between the tombs where we hid amongst the stones sculptures.

"You should see yourself; the murderous expression, the self-righteous posturing," I heard Elijah speaking to Klaus.

I told Rebekah to stay put and revealed myself thinking that he might listen to me. But she doesn't listen to me and follows me out into the open.

"If you want your revenge than have it," she sneered. "But it was your cruelty and your spite that led us to this."

Klaus sprinted up to one of the taller tombs and perched himself on the roof. "Go on then, speak your piece," he looked down on us. "The trial of Rebekah Mikaelson."

"What a relief. His ego is in check," Rebekah commented and I snorted trying to hold in my laughter.

The proceedings are ridiculous. Klaus does nothing but twist every word to justify his own malice while Rebekah shouts up at him. It all ended with Klaus lunging at her. Elijah intercepted him gaining control of both Papa Tunde's blade and the white oak stake. "Leave us," the eldest brother commanded.

I took Rebekah's hand and dragged her away once more, but as we fled, the brother's fought. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Papa Tunde's blade be absorbed into Elijah's abdomen. I ran to him. "Fuck you, Nik!" I growled as I held Elijah's head in my lap.

"He'll live," Klaus shrugged.

I looked up and he noticed my eyes were not meeting his. He turned around to see Rebekah who had picked up the stake.

"I have this now. I can decide who lives and who dies," she said, but it didn't sound like a threat.

"Well now that you have the means to kill me. Why don't you finish what you started a century ago?" Klaus sneered.

"I did not want you dead. I wanted you to run!" she cried.

"Liar!" he yelled. "You wanted revenge!"

"You drove me to betray you!" she shouted back.

They provoked each other into an attack. I watched in horror as it sunk into her chest.

I dropped Elijah and pounced on Klaus. He did not put up a fight as I pinned his wrists above his head. "What did you do?" I cried.

"I didn't kill her," he said, quietly. "I wouldn't kill her. I wouldn't kill you. I wouldn't kill my brother."

I looked over at Rebekah and saw that the stake was indeed an inch too far to the right to have pierced her heart. I let him up and sat on the stone floor, bringing my knees to my chin.

"Did you really think I was that cruel?" he asked, the hurt prominent in his voice.

"No," I shook my head, but then I changed my mind. "I don't know," I sighed. "I was told recently that I am you with tits and so Elijah will tire of me and my antics. I don't know how much violence I'm capable of. So what can you do?" The words tumbled out of my mouth, spilling like vomit.

Klaus sat down next to me and put and arm over my shoulders. I rested my head on his as we waited for the moon to rise again. "Elijah would never leave you. Whatever shit we pull, we'll never turn our backs on family."

I woke to Rebekah's voice. "You missed my heart," she said.

I jumped away from Klaus and embraced her.

"Perhaps I did or perhaps I never meant to kill you," Klaus responded. "Perhaps I just wanted you to feel a fraction of what I felt when Father came for me."

"Do you yourself know the truth?" Rebekah asked.

"I know this," Klaus responded. "You accuse me of being evil and yet you are the one who conspired to kill your own blood."

"You made our lives a living hell!" she shouted. "You tormented us."

I sat back down on the ground, rubbing my temples. This was all getting to be too much.

"I love my family!" he cried. "You, Elijah, Liz; I loved all of you. I Know I can be difficult but I did not make myself this way. It was Mikael who ruined me!"

Rebekah followed with a rebuttal of her own. Crying out that Mikael broke them all and their promise to each other was nothing more than another curse. Klaus only seemed to be half listening because he had knelt down next to Elijah and plunged his hand into his brother's torso. Klaus clutched the bone blade in his bloodied hand as Elijah regained consciousness.

"Now we're even," he hissed towards Elijah and I ran forward.

I helped him up, wrapping my arms around his waist. He leaned down and kissed me deeply, refusing to let me go until the moon reached its apex.

"What are we gonna do?" I asked as I watched Klaus let Rebekah go.

"Take back this city," Elijah told me, rubbing his hand up and down my back.


	26. Chapter 26

I went with Elijah in case he needed back up, but I told him after that I was going on a good, proper hunt. I watched him speaking to the creatures that occupied our home. He was so beautiful when he was in his element.

"I trust I need no introduction. After all, this was once my family home, an dnow I'm taking it back," he said. "Marcellus, out of respect for my sister I will grant you this one mercy, I will allow you to keep your life; however, you're hereby exiled. If I find so much as a trace of you in the French Quarter, it will not end well for you, do you understand? That is all," he dismissed them. "Run along."

I giggled and he looked over at me.

"What?" he asked.

I didn't answer, just bit my lip. And then he was on me. My back was against the wall and his lips were on mine. I tore off his shirt and he picked me up throwing me on our bed. He fitted himself on top of me as I kissed his jaw and down his neck.

I let him hold onto my naked body for a while, but eventually I pulled away.

"Don't go," he mumbled. "Elizabetta."

I kissed him gently, my Eli. "I'll be back before you know it."

I had lied though. I had lost track of time, drunk on blood. But it had been at least a day. I was able to remember a moon through the blissful fog of indulgence. I returned to the compound, sneaking by Elijah and upstairs. I wanted to clean up before I spoke to him and he wasn't alone. Members of the supernatural community had been with him so I defaulted to ask Klaus what the hell I had missed.

After washing the blood from my hands and lips, I found the hybrid in his studio. He was trying to paint, but broken canvases were scattered about and there was more paint on the floor than on them. He growled, piercing one of the canvases with the butt end of a brush.

"Does this have anything to do with you not speaking to Elijah?" I asked picking one of them up.

"Why should I speak to him?" he responded. "I care not for his efforts of uniting the city."

"It's your home; I figured you'd care." I moved to inspect another one of the canvases.

"Did he send you in here?" he asked, pulling away from me.

I sneered at him. "I haven't spoken to Elijah either."

"Then don't criticize," he hissed.

Elijah entered the room, interrupting us. He wore a black sweater with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. "You're home," he breathed.

I could tell he was a bit disappointed I presented myself to his brother first. I threw myself into his arms.

"Let me offer you some advice, brother," Klaus spoke, finally seeming to be satisfied with the paint he was applying to the canvas. "This community has a history of mutual loathing. If you want peace, you must begin with the werewolves. A hundred years ago they had a run at ruling this city. As of late, all they've had is time to watch their enemies tear down that legacy."

"All the more reason their enemies are reluctant to bring them to the table," Elijah sighed, setting me to the side.

Klaus shrugged. "If the table's the obstacle, remove it. Do you remember in the 1720s, the governor's desperation to secure our help to build the city's first levees? We sat with him and refused his offer so he plie dus with wine and raucous comradery until he had his yes."

I smiled at the memory. Those days were filled with copious amounts of blood and sex. "I like where this is going."

Elijah chuckled. "Are you suggesting that I throw a party?"

I was excited for a party that wasn't a formal ball. I wore a tight fitting black dress that Elijah didn't entirely approve of. Everyone who was invited attended and I was feeling good with several glasses of alcohol already inside of me.

Klaus escorted me over to Elijah who had been greeting guests. "I'm impressed, brother," he said.

"Yes," Elijah seemed to agree that the party was a good idea. "Now, if I can just keep them from tearing one another to shreds," he mused.

"Well then for your sake, here's to a spectacularly boring evening," Klaus toasted.

I grabbed Elijah's hand. He looked handsome as always, wearing a black suit and maroon tie with a white shirt. "Dance with me," I ordered and he willingly followed me out onto the dance floor.

"You're not looking at me," I huffed.

"My apologies, Elizabetta," he kissed my forehead. "I am worried someone is going to kill someone else."

"God I hope so," I said. "With all the shit drama that's been going on there hasn't been nearly enough violence."

Before he could reprimand me, a werewolf and Diego had begun to butt heads. I smirked, things were looking up. Elijah let me go so that he could quell the argument. "Diego," he ordered the young vampire. "You will be polite and welcoming."'

"Yeah, see," Diego scoffed, shaking his head. "His people killed my whole family."

"And I'll finish the job if you don't abide by our rules," I growled stepping into my old role.

The fool ignored me and rushed at the blonde wolf. I pulled Diego off the boy, pinning him to the ground and Elijah held onto his adversary.

"This ends now," the Original vampire growled. "I won't ask again."

In the end, all of the factions signed his contract and I didn't get to kill anyone.


	27. Chapter 27

"Where is it?!" Klaus growled, throwing me against the wall. "What did he do with it?" he screams.

I giggled, unable to properly defend myself. Being blood-drunk I found the whole situation hysterical. "I don't know."

He let me go and I sat down in the leather arm chair, watching him. It was amusing to watch him tear the study apart. He hissed in frustration when I didn't assist him.

"Can I help you find something?" Elijah asked, entering the study, concerned about all the noise. I reached out and he put his hand in mind and kissed the top of my head.

"Yes you can, since your girlfriend is absolutely useless," Klaus seethed. "I'm looking for a book about yea-big, filled with our mother's most powerful spells. It appears to have been misplaced."

"How very mysterious," Elijah responded innocently.

"Indeed," Klaus replied with sarcasm. "At first I feared the witches had succeeded in their efforts to obtain it."

Elijah sat at the writing table, pretending to listen.

"But considering their last attempt ended with me relieving a rather large tattooed gentleman of his hands, I began to wonder if the thief wasn't a bit closer to home."

Now, Elijah looked up, but didn't react. I wrinkled my nose, trying not to sneeze for fear if I did I would fall out of the chair.

"Don't make this harder than it needs to be, Brother," Klaus sighed.

"Well, admittedly I did have a theory that your sudden interest in Mother's grimoire was in some way related to whatever foolishness you've been conducting with the crescent wolves. Therefore I took it upon myself to carefully place it where naughty little fingers could not pry," he smirked.

"You told me you did not know!" Klaus said to me.

"I didn't!" I laughed honestly.

He rolled his eyes. "Here I thought you, Elijah, of all people would understand. I am simply trying to help those wolves, play Samaritan to the abused, champion to the underdog, so to speak."

"How splendidly noble of you," Elijah said through pursed lips. He stood from the writing desk and scooped me up from my seat into his arms, carrying me out of the study.

I was excited, not necessarily that Father Kieran was dead, but that his funeral was traditional Irish. Everyone was drinking at Rousseau's where there were pipers and fiddle players. I was sober as I sat next to Elijah, but I was still hoping there would be a drunken fight that I could witness, if not partake in. Elijah was acting appropriately as always as Klaus sulked over his drink.

"Seems rather uncivilized to dance and laugh around the body of a loved one," the hybrid commented.

"Yes, far better to practice grief like the two of you?" Elijah mused. "Denial, rage, and in Niklaus's case, the hoarding of coffins in basements."

Hayley sat down at our table.

I glared at her, not ready to let her back into our lives, but Elijah never noticed any misstep.

"I will warn you, Hayley," he said. "Niklaus is in a spectacularly foul mood today."

"Sod off," Klaus grumbled, a perfect response.

Hayley ignored him. "What's the deal with these moonlight rings?" she asked. "Oliver's trying to start a revolution every five seconds. People are scared, angry, and frankly, I'm tired of stalling."

"It's a day of peace, Hayley," Klaus sighed. "Try and enjoy it. In the meantime, with all the manner of unknown enemies conspiring against our family, maybe you'll move back in with us."

I mimed gagging at this suggestion, but no one noticed. They were all so caught up in the political crap that I considered killing every last human in this room, hanging their bodies from the rafters and letting them bleed out until the bar was flooded and it had a worse reputation than St. Ann's. When did the Originals stop being fun? I put my hand on Elijah's thigh instead. He didn't stop me, but leaned over and whispered in my ear. "Later, Elizabetta."

"Wait you have dreamt of our father?" Elijah separated himself from me, but left one arm around me, a hand on my far hip.

"Go ahead, have a good laugh," Klaus grumbled.

"I can assure you, there is no piece of this I find even remotely amusing Niklaus," Elijah responded. "Especially considering I've been dreaming of him too."

"What?" Klaus growled, not expecting the response. Elijah hadn't said anything to me either, but I surmised as much as soon as he began having nightmares; about a week ago he woke up in the middle of the night and has barely slept since.

"If you are also seeing him…" Elijah's gaze on the redhead bitch Klaus had been sleeping with. "Perhaps our elusive unknown enemy is orchestrating a further attack."

"Well then what better way to punctuate a day of peace than by killing someone," Klaus grinned. "Liz?"

I broke out into a grin. Finally I was going to have some fun.

We headed over to the caldron and broke into the magical supply shop where we knew Klaus's latest conquest was heading. When she eventually entered, Klaus appeared to her first.

"You disappeared from the party," she said, clearly nervous.

"Would you care to explain why you would choose to torment us with visions of our father?" Elijah hissed.

"Your father? I didn't- I wouldn't," she managed to choke out.

I hissed at her, fangs barred.

"Of course, how foolish of me," Elijah replied sardonically. "It must have been that other witch that's been parading throughout our place in scraps of lace."

"I know how talented you are with your tongue, Genève, might I recommend you use it to provide answers?" Klaus said. "I would so hate to tear it from your mouth, but I'm sure Liz would have no problem."

"If I hear about it again, I will," I growled at Klaus, disgusted at the thought of the two of them and her tongue.

She scoffed. "As much as I enjoy these repeated accusations of wrongdoings, I don't know what you're talking about. But if you've both been seeing your dead father, I can try to get you answers."

"Fine," Klaus barked. "Go."

"No! don't-" I began to argue.

"Go!" Klaus ignored me and the witch fled. "You don't trust her and you're right not to, only a fool would, but she certainly wants us to, doesn't she?" he explained.

"She only lives long enough for you to get your answers," I growled and Elijah nodded, agreeing with me.

"Sounds fair," Klaus smirked.

We rejoined the funeral party just in time for the march through the Quarter. The three of us walked alongside Hayley. I was surprised that she could walk.

"Are you alright?" Elijah asked as she coughed. "You look-"

"-a hundred months pregnant and pissed off at the world?" she interrupted, but then changed the subject: "Do you think I was the target of those bombings?"

"Of course you were the target!" Klaus interjected. "Were I to wage a war on the wolves, you'd be my first kill. I would string you up for all your worshippers to see."

"I believe that was my brother's way of telling you he'd like you to return home with us," Elijah interpreted. "Perhaps try a different approach, Niklaus, with fewer references to murder."

Klaus tried speaking to her again, but only managed in succeeding to piss her off more.

"Very heartfelt, Niklaus," Elijah commented as Hayley moved to the front of the procession.

"Bloody hate funerals," he grumbled back.

I normally hate them as well, but Hayley passed out. They got her back to the compound and Genève offered her magic to help. The brothers panicked, but eventually she woke up, screaming.


	28. Chapter 28

The redheaded witch agreed to make the moonlight rings, but we received news that Marcellus had kidnapped Jackson and Olli and that his army was coming for our family. Elijah was wearing a dark gray suit with a red tie looking more dapper than I expected, but of course he had to play the part of a gentleman even when he was committing murder.

We left Correa, Hayley and Genève together in the dining room of the compound and we left to fight.

"I thought this lot would have learned their lesson," Klaus grumbled, sounding mildly inconvenienced.

"Well, they're not exactly renowned for their genius," Elijah commented.

The vampires entered the compound, surrounding us, but not attacking.

"So where's the ringleader of this circus?" Klaus yelled. "Too afraid to show his face?"

"I'm here," Marcellus broke through the crowd. "I'm gonna offer you one last chance to pack your stuff and get the hell out of my town."

"Or what?" I scoffed. "You'll let us kill your friends?"

"Look around," Marcellus commanded. "Every vampire in the Quarter is coming out. They want their city back. No surrender this time. You're gonna have to kill us all."

"Okay," Klaus shrugged. "I think I'll start with you."

"Fine, come get me," Marcellus responded.

"If you don't kill him, I will," he hissed at his brother.

Klaus growled. "He's mine!"

The hybrid sped after the usurper, leaving Elijah and I with every other vampire in the city. "Shall we?" Elijah smirked.

They pounced and while they outnumbered us 100 to 1, they were weak. It was easy to toss them aside. The courtyard opened up, bodies on the floor, some just pile of ashes. Only Elijah and I remained. We stood back to back, panting. I was covered in blood, drenched.

"That's it?" I asked.

"Wow, nice job," Correa emerged. "Saved me the trouble of killing all those vampires myself."

It took me a minute; that sentence made no sense. And then I was attacked, fanged clamping onto my shoulder. I fell to the ground. I looked over and saw Elijah on the ground as well. They were wolves.

Elijah roused me, picking me up off the floor. I couldn't understand why I hurt so much. My eyes wouldn't focus. I tried to walk but it was exhausting. I was dimly aware of Elijah putting my arm over his shoulders and another on my waist. We burst through a set of doors and only when we were inside did I realize that it was St. Ann's. Klaus was at the altar holding what looked like Hayley's body. I was so thirsty. Black clouded my eyes.

At the scent of blood, I opened them again. Klaus was offering me his wrist.

"Eli?" I mumbled.

"I'm healed. Go ahead."

I drank while the two discussed what had transpired. I felt my strength returning and we ran after the witches, all the way to the city of dead.

The tombs were empty and the grounds were deserted. "She's not fucking here!" I growled.

"This is the only place they can be!" Klaus yelled, desperation in his voice.

"They're not," Elijah growled. "We're wasting time."

Klaus spun around. "Their harvest was here. Their reaping was here. They are about to perform a ritual which will feed their ancestors for centuries, who are buried here!" He stopped ranting. "This statue! We've passed by it three times all whilst going in the same direction!"

"They have fabricated some kind of illusion," Elijah surmised.

"What we need to do is focus." I could see Klaus beginning to formulate a plan.

"My only focus right now is that child and her safety! Do you understand me?" Elijah growled. "This, all of this is the world you created, Niklaus. All of your scheming; the enemies that you have made every single day of your miserable life. What results did you expect? That your child would be born into a happy life? That her mother would be alive to know her daughter? That we could live and thrive as some sort of family?"

"That was your fantasy, brother, not mine," Klaus shouted and I stepped between them instinctively.

"No, brother," Elijah hissed. "This was our hope. This was our family's hope and now she is gone! Do you understand?"

We began our search again and ran straight into Hayley. "How are you here?" I asked, thinking it was a ghost.

"I woke up in the church," she spoke carefully as though she were drunk and struggling to form thoughts. "I felt this hunger. I knew what I needed…. I can feel her. She's here! I can feel my baby," she sobbed.

The understanding washed over Klaus and then me, and finally it hit Elijah. "You died with the baby's blood still in your system. She's in transition," Klaus explained.

"Which means she has to drink the blood of the child if she's to survive," Eljiah added.

"I don't care about me," Hayley hissed. "I'm gonna go find our daughter!"

Now that the sun had risen, Genève was revealed to us. Elijah threw an urn, knocking her over, but two young witches used their powers to throw us backwards, away from them.

"You're fools to come against us in our place of power, in our strongest hour," Monique Deveraux spoke. "You don't face three; you face us all."

Klaus speared the other young witch as Marcellus appears and stabs Monique.

"Where the hell did he come from?" I thought.

But it stopped the sacrifice.

We hesitated just long enough that Marcellus was able to take the baby. Klaus growled and ran after him, leaving the three of us to deal with the redheaded witch.

We decided to chain her up, in case she could still be of use to us. But after Hayley spoke with her, she ended up driving a dagger through the witch's heart.

I burst out into uncontrollable laughter. If only someone had done that weeks ago.


	29. Chapter 29

It was nearly unbearable inside of the compound. Elijah and Klaus were both depressed since they had sent Hope away with Rebekah. The plan was to shut ourselves away in mourning to no one would expect us when we finally made our move, but there wasn't much pretending involved.

Klaus grew more frustrated each day, trying to work out his anger on a canvas, but it wasn't the same. It wasn't enough for him. Elijah aligned himself with the historical society as he tried to locate the moonlight rings Correa had given her followers; the rings that sapped his brother's power every full moon. I wanted simply to kill the entire city, but Elijah kept holding me back. I may have changed my mind about Hayley, but I had still wanted to be an aunt and they hadn't let me shack up with Rebekah.

I sat in the courtyard wondering if several months was long enough to mourn a baby that wasn't actually dead when Camille walked in; right through our front door.

"You need to go," I told her. "It's dangerous to be here and Nik won't speak to anybody."

"You have to do something!" she begged. "It's a military state. The Correas need to be taken out."

I tried to guide her back to the door. "Thanks for coming."

Elijah appeared by my side when she left. "It's time," he said simply, placing a kiss on my temple.

For the first time since they sent Hope away, I felt happy. We went on our own to attack Correa and her inner circle while Hayley and Marcellus stayed at the compound to make sure no one could hurt Klaus while he was weak.

I knocked on the Correa's front door. The bitch answered and one of her bodyguards stood dutifully behind her.

"It's fine," she smiled through pursed lips. "They can't come in."

"Can't we?" Elijah smirked.

She scoffed at us. "Don't bluff me, you can't win."

"You mobsters all suffer from such hubris," Elijah commented. "Do you know Al Capone thought himself invincible back in his day and he was sentenced to the filth of Alcatraz for which of his atrocities? Anyone?"

"Tax evasion!" I answered proudly for them.

"Exactly, and in the end Liz tore out his heart with her bare hands. I suppose the devil's in the details, isn't it?" He smiled politely. "My, you have a beautiful home here. I was so pleased when the city took my suggestion to protect its heritage and invoke eminent domain. So I suppose that means the house now belongs to the public and anyone can enter with invitation."

Killing those wolves had really lifted my spirits, but now that Klaus was back to full strength, Elijah's time had once again become preoccupied with Hayley. So I avoided the compound. I haunted the streets of the French Quarter where I found a teenage boy with a shit-eating grin.

"You're impossible," I ran up to him.

He smirked. "Am I supposed to understand what you mean by that, Liz?"

My eyes widened. I had never met this kid before so he couldn't possibly have known my name. The only way he could have was impossible. "Kol?"

The boy smirked again and I hit him. "You are Kol! How?"

He shushed me. "I can't tell you, not yet."

I threw my arms around him, excited to see him. He had always been so much fun. I was surprised, though, to hear his heart beating. "Whatever it is, you need to promise me to be careful."

"You worried about me?" he asked and I could see his ego inflate.

"You're mortal now. I really don't want to deal with you dying again," I laughed at him.

He hugged me, but something must have caught his attention because he let me go quickly. "Don't cause too much damage without me," he grinned and then hurried across the street at human pace.

I stepped into the compound where I found Klaus raving. Almost instantaneously upon my arrival, Elijah's attention turned from his brother to me. "Where have you been?" he demanded.

"Oh, I matter now?" I asked innocently.

He frowned at me. "Of course you matter, Elizabetta."

"Let me rephrase that: you care what I do, now?" I growled.

"What has gotten into you?" Elijah asked as calmly as he could muster.

I snarled at him and barred my fangs. "Ever since we moved down here, you spend less and less time with me. Some days, you don't even look at me. It's I love you this, and, I love you that, but your words are fucking empty. I don't want to fucking see you if you don't want to fucking see me." I wanted him to attack. I wanted to fight to let all this anger out. But he didn't react. Not at all, so I stormed away, shutting myself in one of the extra rooms. I threw some furniture around, but was soon tired and pissed off and unsatisfied.

There was a knock at the door which gave way to Klaus.

"What do you want, Nik?" I sighed.

"Nothing," he shrugged and took a seat in one of the velvet armchairs.

"I'm really, not in the mood, Nik."

He rolled his eyes. "Obviously. You're in the mood to kill someone. Maybe several someones, but you need to go back in there and forgive Elijah."

"No that's bullshit."

Klaus hopped up and grabbed my wrists, pulling me towards him. "Our parents are back. We cannot afford to have divisions within the family. Besides, you and me, we need all the friends you can get."

I scoffed. "I have plenty of friends."

"You have me. And Rebekah on a good day."

"I have plenty of friends," I repeated. "And might I remind you. You've only got me."

"Please, forgive Elijah," Klaus pleaded. "For me."

"You owe me," I grumbled I stormed into mine and Elijah's room.

Without a word, he wrapped me up in his arms. He squeezed me to him, burying his face in my neck. "I am so sorry." It came out muffled as he spoke into my skin. "It was never my intention to ignore you."

With his strong arms around me, I remembered that we loved each other and I was convinced everything would be alright.

"Birds? Really?" I commented as I descended the stairs to the courtyard. The brothers and Hayley stood around a fully set table filled with fresh fruits and food. "A bit grandiose don't you think? That's definitely Nik's department."

He scoffed and reached to pick up a piece of paper on one of the silver trays.

"What the hell is that?" Hayley asked.

"An invitation from our mother," he answered, grinding his teeth.

Immediately, responsibilities began being delegated and plans were formed. I volunteered to fetch a witch. "Elijah will go with you," was Klaus's reaction. "We need the witch alive."

Elijah took me to Marcellus's new commune of vampires, but I opted to wait outside of the building, thinking he would not help find a witch if he knew I was there. When Elijah emerged, he brought with him a female vampire.

"Don't ask," he growled when I raised my eyebrows.

"Don't tell," I chuckled back and he grimaced. I joined him at his side and tugged on his jacket sleeve, up by his shoulder. In one swift movement, I was on his back with my arms wrapped around his neck. He carried me for a minute and then the vampire walking behind us finally spoke.

"You wanna walk in silence, fine, but you're going the wrong way," she shouted.

Elijah, sighed, stopped and turned to face her without putting me down. "Marcel seems to think I can instruct you," he told the girl. "Frist lesson: try not to waste my time." Elijah bent his knees slightly and popped back up, throwing me up further on his back. He gripped my legs and once I was secure, followed the fledgling into town.

We entered a witch's shop manned by an elderly witch grinding herbs with a mortar and pestel. She looked up as the bell over her door rang. "Go away. I'm busy."

Elijah gently set me down and kissed my temple. "You're blatantly practicing magic, I see," he approached her.

"Herbal remedies for a neighbor who lost her insurance, but my guess is an Original ain't here to talk gossip," she responded.

"I have a favor to ask of you," he explained.

"The whole Quarter is crawling with witches. Go ask one of them," the witch spat.

"I don't typically ask favors of my enemies," Elijah replied gently.

"So you've come across the river to bother me," she sighed.

Elijah didn't answer right away, he needed to find a new angle. I hung back because my angle was a bit more forceful. "It's unfortunate, isn't it? Bureaucracy has not been kind to your community," he began. "Those tax incentives on local business have been stalling for months. Of course, a persuasive person could potentially remove any red tape."

"I'm listening," she put down her tools.

The Original smirked. "A certain someone, let's say a witch, has a troublesome tendency of jumping into other bodies. When she does so again, I'd like to know into whom she jumps."

"Soul branding," the witch responded immediately. "It's a sacrificial spell. I'm gonna need an item that's been spelled by the witch in question. And a python."

"I shall retrieve the enchanted item," Elijah declared. "My partner will take care of the python."

"Like hell!" I exclaimed. I was not an errand girl and I would never serve up a snake for sacrifice; a goat, maybe, a human, sure. Snakes liked me, though.

"Not you," Elijah corrected. "Gia."

"A what?" the fledgling scoffed.

Elijah smiled cruelly at her. "Second lesson of the day: acquisition through mind compulsion."

"That is so mean!" I chuckled as we left the store.

He smiled at me and took my hand. "Come, we have to find Niklaus."


	30. Chapter 30

The boys forced me into a classy navy blue dress. Yet as Klaus had to help hold me down so they could dress me, he complained of his own suit, saying we were dressed like lawyers. The table was set, the help was there, the only thing left to do was wait.

"Just know if she tries anything, I'll tear her new body to pieces," Klaus growled.

"You haven't changed a bit," a black man walked in, laughing.

"Finn," I hissed.

He turned to me with a fake smile. "Still have the family pet, I see."

I growled like an animal from deep within my throat.

"This is our home which you have invited yourself into. The least you could do is show some manners," Elijah responded calmly.

Finn had arrived alone and we took our seats alongside him to be polite. "So what have I missed?" he asked. "Regale me with your contributions to society. Medicine? Philosophy? Art? Or have you three just cut a path of destruction across time?"

"Last time we were together, you helped mother try to destroy us all," Klaus hissed. "Let's not throw stones in glass houses."

Finn whispered in the ear of a waitress and she immediately began rearranging the place settings.

"Are we expecting another guest?" Klaus asked. We had set Elijah on Klaus's right and a spot for me across from him. Finn was meant to sit next Elijah and their mother next to me.

"Mother will sit at the head," Finn explained. "As for the space across from me, that is reserved for another of our clan. Care to wager an educated guess?"

"Kol," I answered automatically.

He grinned, surprised. "Very good."

Elijah knit his eyebrows together, silently asking me how I knew.

"I ran into him the other day," I explained. "While Finn is masquerading as a man over another race, Kol is pretending to be a funny looking teenage boy."

"And you didn't think to share this with us?" Elijah demanded.

I scoffed. "And when would I have done that? While you were yelling at Niklaus or fawning over Hayley?"

Finn laughed and I hissed at him to shut him up just as Esther arrived wearing the harvest girl, Cassie.

Klaus glared at her the entire time while she took her seat at the other head of the table. "Why don't you say what you're going to say so this wretched night can end?" he spat.

"It pains me that you and Elijah look at me with such disdain," she sighed dramatically. "I wish that you could see that my every action has been to protect you."

"You actually believe that, don't you?" Klaus smirked. "I knew you were a liar, but now I see you're utterly delusional."

"If you can forget the hatred that you cling to and remember all the times I've mended and healed you," she replied, trying to remain calm. "Elijah, do you recall the day Niklaus challenged your father to a duel? Did I leave your brother to die alone? What did I say when you came and asked me to help?"

A growl rumbled from the back of my throat. It was low enough only the vampires in the room could have heard, but I couldn't help myself. The more she spoke, the more I wanted to drain her blood. I didn't even want to drink it, just watch it pour out of her.

"That you would rather die than watch any of your children suffer," Elijah answered stiffly.

Klaus considered it for a moment, but only a moment before the rage inside came to the surface. "The necklace wasn't spelled to protect me! It made me weak!" His fist slammed into the table.

"I sought to protect you from yourself," Esther tried again. "If you had killed your father in that duel or anyone else over the course of our life, you would've activated your curse."

"You ruined me!" he shouted. "You left me to suffer at the hands of a father who valued only strength!"

"I kept you from becoming a beast for as long as I could," Esther explained desperately.

"Oh you lied to me to hide your own transgressions because of your own fear!" the hybrid hissed. "My whole life I sought the approval I was denied by the man I thought was my father. You turned me into the weakling he hated. Look at me!" he raised his voice again when she tried lowering her eyes. "You rant and rage about the monster I've become, but you mother, you are the author of everything that I am!"

As Klaus spat out his last sentiment, the small girl fell forward. Elijah rushed forward and caught her before her face could smash into the food on her plate. "She's gone," Elijah declared before turning on Finn who looked genuinely surprised.

Finn stood and tossed Elijah aside with magic. When Klaus ran to defend his brother, Finn knocked him unconscious as well. The witch glared at me and I held up my hands. He accepted my surrender and fled the compound. I quickly roused the brothers and we waited for Cassie to come to.

The poor girl woke to see the two vampires looming over her. "Where is our mother?" Klaus demanded.

"Where am I? What's happening?" was her response.

"Leave her," Elijah sighed the order at his younger brother. "She's a puppet."

"So what do we do?" I asked.

"You're going to make sure gets home safely," Elijah said.

"What?" I scoffed. "I'm not a baby sitter!"

Elijah put his hands on my shoulders, trying to calm me. "Niklaus and I are going to find Hayley and our witch. Hopefully they were able to brand mother. But regardless, this may require some fineness. So you will make sure Cassie gets to her parents unharmed and in one piece."

I growled, but there was nothing I could really do about it. We all left the compound at once and while the boys took a left, we went right.

"So who are they?" Cassie asked.

"Two of the five Original vampires," I grunted back at her.

"Then what are you?" she asked again.

"The family pet, apparently," I growled as I kicked a stone down the street. "Come on, kid." I picked up the pace. "The sooner we get you home, the better."

She jogged a bit to catch up before settling into a stride of her own. "You have to tell me what happened. I don't remember anything after the harvest. It was black and dark and then I woke up in your house."

I sighed. I never cared for witches, but I did have a soft spot for teenagers who got fucked over. "That was over a year ago. Davina didn't die, so the harvest didn't work. But we sacrificed her a few months ago and four witches came back, but not the harvest girls. We killed those witches and you guys came back. Those other assholes just jacked your juice. But you didn't come back as you. Esther, the boys' mother hijacked your body. She just jumped into somebody else. That's when you woke up."

She blinked a few times, not really understanding.

"You got screwed over by witches. Three times. You missed about a year and a half of your life," I said bluntly.

"Oh," she replied quietly.

We walked in silence for another couple of blocks.

"This is me," she said meekly about a yellow house we were coming up on.

I nodded. "Alright, you take care, kid."

"Yeah, thanks," she smiled and then ran into the house.

I sighed, walking slowly home. I wondered what it would be like to have parents excited to welcome you home, to miss you. I didn't think anyone had ever missed me before.


	31. Chapter 31

"Niklaus! Niklaus!" Elijah shouted as he walked through the courtyard.

"You realize everyone here has supernatural hearing, right?" Hayley stopped him.

"Where is my brother?" Elijah sighed.

"I'll check his calendar," Hayley smiled. "Wait, no, not his wife, so-"

I scoffed. My feet were up on the table in front of me as I tilted back in the chair, watching the scene in front of me.

Elijah growled at her. "Hayley, this city's under siege by an army of beasts following my mother's command…"

"Ugh, Klaus left a while ago. If you want to find him, I can't help," she waved dismissively. "If only there was a magical device that could be used to call people. I don't know. I'm out of ideas. Good luck."

I moved from my seat and replaced the spot next to Elijah that Hayley had just vacated. "Has she always been that sassy?" I asked.

"I couldn't say." He snaked his arms around me, wrapping me up in him and kissed me deeply.

I buried my face in his chest, pressing my cheek against his crisp suit jacket. "I want to talk to you," I murmured. My intent was to express how I felt about all the scheming and plotting, but I had already become distracted.

"I need to pay a visit to Marcellus," Elijah replied. "Will you come with me? We can speak on the way."

"Fight?" I perked up at the sound of Marcellus's name. "You know I never miss an opportunity to fight."

"We won't be fighting him," Elijah replied.

I remained silently until we were out of the house, in case one of the other vampires was reporting back to Nik. The man was so paranoid, it wouldn't surprise me if he compelled someone to spy on Rebecca.

"That's kinda what I wanted to talk to you about," I said as we moved through the city towards the other side of the river. "I'm worried about what a shit show Nik is turning this city into."

Marcellus's vampire commune had grown since we were last there. We could hear the fledglings panicking inside about the werewolves.

"How are we supposed to learn to defend ourselves from an army of superwolves in just one day?" Josh was saying.

Elijah nodded at me and I grinned back. We launched ourselves through the window on the silent count of three. The glass shattered around us as I land on one of the fledglings and snapped his neck. I looked over and saw that Elijah had also dropped a vampire. I smiled at him. It was just like old times.

"Oh, Jeez," Marcellus sighed.

"Lesson one," Elijah told the group. "Always be on your guard."

"Alright, Elijah, Liz," Marcellus said. "Then teach us."

We paired off all the vampires so that we could run drills. The goal was to teach them how to fight not like humans, but like vampires; use their speed to their advantage. Elijah's pair was Gia, the fledgling Marcellus was trying to pin to him and I fought Josh. He was adorably enthusiastic and optimistic and it made me want to hit him harder.

"As a devout feminist, I refuse to say you hit like a girl," I caught Elijah's words.

I snorted and while distracted, Josh was able to land a punch.

His jaw dropped and his eyes lit up. "Whoo!" he raised his hands above his head in celebration.

I growled at the kid and he immediate shut up.

"Let's try this again," Elijah ordered the group now that Gia was on her back.

"Elijah!"

We all turned to see Hayley. She had invited herself in and brought with her another wolf that I didn't know. The vampires moved into defensive positions, waiting to attack.

"We're not here for a fight," Hayley said. "Just hear him out."

"Speak," Elijah barked at the kid. "I suggest you be succinct."

"Please," the wolf begged in return, "I need your help."

I growled at him. How dare he come in here and ask us favors? After what the wolves had done, betraying Nik, betraying the order that this city balanced on so precariously? But Elijah wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me to himself so that I could not attack.

Marcellus was the first to speak again. He cleared the room of all the fledglings, leaving myself and Elijah, Marcellus, of course, Josh, Hayley, Aiden, and Ollie.

Aiden explained that children were being forced to trigger their werewolf curse. "The witch want soldiers," Aiden referred to Elijah's mother. "So no it's either join up or pay the price."

"I've known my brother Finn to be merciless," Elijah admitted. "But I'll admit, this exceeds even my expectations."

"Do you not believe him?" I asked and Elijah shrugged. "Because it makes sense."

"It does?" Marcellus asked, not hiding his surprise.

I was surprised by his response as well. "Did you not pay attention to the rest of the world? It's history now, of course. But everyone uses child soldiers- not just the civil wars in Africa- both sides of The Crusades. She needs more wolves? She's gonna make more."

"Well not that it's confirmed; Liz is a strategic psychopath, what do you want to do about it?" Marcellus asked the wolves.

"They're just kids," Hayley answered. "Marcel, you know the Quarter like the back of your hand. If anyone can get them out, it's you."

"And take them where?" Marcellus asked.

"There's still wolves deep in the bayou," Olli explained their plan. "The ones that didn't take a ring. They can look after them."

"The wolves that didn't sell out," I scoffed.

"If you wanna look at it like that, it's fine. We did what we had to do," Olli replied.

Marcellus shook his head, still not sold. "You wolves have been fighting us for decades. Why trust us now?" he asked.

"One of the recruits is my little brother," Aiden spoke up. "There's no way I'm sending him to war."

"Tell us what you need," Elijah stepped forward. The little brother card must have struck a chord with him. He would protect Aiden's little brother since he was never able to protect Klaus. I knew he always blamed himself for letting Klaus become a monster and I always thought he was insane.

Aiden explained the plan he had formulated to get the kids away from Esther and Finn. It was confusing, though, because he kept referring to them as Cassie and Vince.

The main roads were crowded, the way it always is with festivals, but it was still easy to spot the wolves. It was a group of a little more than a dozen kids walking with a purpose. Aiden and Olli were with them. I looked at Marcellus who stood next to me. "Three guard dogs, plus Olli and Aiden."

"Alright, let's go," he took off.

We each took out two guards, leaving Olli, and then ran away guerilla style. Marcellus didn't stick around for me. He had to meet up with Hayley and get the kids out of town while I had made a rendezvous point with Elijah and Olli. I ran to the car garage like we had planned. Elijah stood alone, looking prepared for a business meeting and not a fight. I threw my arms around his neck and he embraced me.

"Do you think this is going to work?" I asked.

"They'll come," he answered. "And we'll win."

Olli showed up not long after I did, panting and looking over his shoulder.

"Where are they?" Elijah asked.

"They should be right behind me," he said.

Right on cue, the wolves showed up, creating a circle around us. "Don't bother trying to run," a hipster-lumberjack type spoke. He was massive, taller than Elijah, but his hair and flannel made him laughable.

Olli stepped up, hands in surrender. "What? You don't think we would be dumb enough to bring them here, do you?"

"Yes, I do apologize for any inconvenience," Elijah said. "The little ones you seek are elsewhere. Which I suppose leaves you here with me…and her." He motioned towards me and I barred my fangs.

"You're the ones that don't seem to understand," the lumberjack growled. "We're not looking for the kids. The witch wants you."

"You listen to me very carefully," Elijah said softly. "I told a good friend that I'd do the very best to spare the lives of her people. You leave right now and I will honor that. Stay, I will still honor that, but Liz here, she made no such promises."

The wolf lowered himself into a fighting stance, so I attacked. Elijah and Olli moved out of the way as I took them down one by one. The bodies piled on the garage floor, blood pooling around them.

"Shit," Olli breathed, looking at the bodies of his pack. "Remind me to never piss you off."

"I haven't had that much fun in years," I giggled, licking blood from my fingers. "Is that all they've got?"

"So it would seem," Elijah smiled fondly at me.

I rolled my shoulders, starting to feel a bit uncomfortable. The blood was seeping through my clothes and drying on my skin.

"Actually," Vincent appeared from nowhere. "I'm just getting started." He merely flicked his wrist and everything went black.

I opened my eyes to be met with the cold, dead stare of one of the men I had killed earlier. I sat up slowly, trying to ignore the pounding of my head. Squinting from the bright lights, I looked around. Olli was lifting himself up off the ground as well, but we seemed to be the only live ones there. "Elijah!" I called, but there was no answer. "Elijah!"

"Vincent must've taken him," Ollie groaned.

 _Vincent?_ I thought, wondering where that had come from, but then I remembered. He was the one who knocked me out. Panic welled up inside of me. I had to find him. "Go home," I ordered Olli. Because that's what I was doing. I was running home.


	32. Chapter 32

"Nik!" I burst through the doors to our home. "Nik!"

No one was there. Klaus had gone out, leaving the compound entirely empty. I growled and picked up the object closest to me; a metal chair, and flung it across the room. It landed with a satisfying crash. I began picking up and throwing other furniture until the courtyard was completely destroyed and I was out of breath. I collapsed into a chair with only three legs, but a moment later stood again. I ran through the city, across the river to Marcellus's loft. I entered without knocking to find him speaking with Hayley.

They stopped at the sound of my entering and turned to look at me. "You haven't seen Elijah, have you?" Hayley asked.

"Esther has him." I answered. "And Nik's not at home either."

"Alright, let's go," Hayley grabbed her jacket.

"Where are you going?" I asked. "We don't know where they are."

"We'll find them," Marcellus said, joining in. "We start where he was taken."

In the garage, the bloody mess from the previous night remained. It was strange how empty the structure felt, haunted almost. It was the middle of the day: where were the humans? the crime scene tape?

There was a clear trail marking that a body and been taken from this place, but not one of the three of us were skilled trackers.

"Call Klaus," Marcellus ordered.

It only rang once before he answered. "Liz."

"Hey. I need your help," I admitted grudgingly. "Eli's been taken. There's a trail, but we need your help to track it."

"I'm a bit busy at the moment," he replied.

"What's more important than your own brother?" I growled.

"My life," he declared. "Davina had Mikael on a magical leash and it broke. Now Mikael has Tunde's blade, the white oak stake, and Cami. I'm gonna get her back. Either Mikael or I will be ash by day's end. I'd pick you first for my team, but I know you won't abandon your search for Elijah."

I growled as I ended the call. Now I had him to worry about too. Hayley and Marcellus saw the struggle on my face. Do I help the brother I know is in immediate danger? Or the one whom I have no way of finding?

"Go," Hayley said. "We'll keep looking for him."

I could have kissed her. I took off to help Klaus. From the background noise on his phone call, I knew he was out of the city, in the bayou. I would have to drive and track him from there. It was much easier to track two men trying to kill each other than one kidnapped by a witch. I found them in what seemed to be a building of an abandoned ranch. Mikael was advancing towards Camille who defended an unconscious Klaus with the white oak stake. I attacked, but the asshole knocked me down with ease.

"Tonight has been an endless parade of fools," he growled. "I'll enjoy killing every last one of you."

"Good luck with that." I picked myself up and landed a few good strikes before Klaus recovered.

"It's over, Mikael, you're outnumbered," Klaus spoke. "Are you going to beg for your miserable life?"

"You think having people makes you strong?" Mikael sneered. "It proves how weak you are. Come find me when you don't have fools, women, and children fighting your battles."

"Coward!" I shouted at him, but he had already run off.

Klaus turned to check on Camille and Kol took Davina outside. I was the only one without someone to take care of me. I poked through the items left behind and found a wicker chair. I pulled it out with ease and took a seat. I pulled my feet onto the chair with me and rested my head on my knees. It wasn't long before Klaus was satisfied that Camille was unhurt and he addressed me.

"Thank you," he said.

I knew he was surprised that I had come. "Can we go after Eli now?"

He picked me up from the chair setting me down gently on my feet. "We'll get him back."

Klaus snatched a witch and brought him to the compound to ask him questions. I watched as Klaus cut the man apart, even when he begged Klaus to stop. I was surprised how much blood was inside of the small man. When Klaus decided he would get no more information out of the witch, he bit down on his neck, eliciting one of the worst screams yet. Klaus grinned at me, his face and shirt both coated in blood.

Hearing the scream, Hayley came in off the balcony. "I see your interrogation went well," she commented on the blood-soaked Klaus's appearance.

"Turns out these witches are delicate creatures," he responded as though he didn't know his own strength. "No matter, I found out my mother is operating out of the city of the dead."

"Great, let's go," Hayley said.

"Esther is very powerful, we can't just storm into her territory. We'll need to draw her out," he tried to explain and began closing the door on her.

"Wait," Hayley stopped him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to change my shirt and then I'm going to find my brother," Klaus told her.

"Let me come with you," she said.

Klaus shook his head. "I know you want to help, Hayley, but you can't. My mother is wretched she will target you in order to thwart me and I very well can't save Elijah if I'm busy saving you, can I?"

I chuckled when he shut the doors. "You know it makes no sense, shutting the doors on her? She's seen you naked while I, on the other hand, am sleeping with your brother. Shouldn't we have swapped places?"

"Think of it as me putting you in the friendzone," he smirked and grabbing the back collar of his shirt, yanked it over his head.

When he had changed, I followed him to the outskirts of the city to the burnt remnants of the plantation house. I didn't question him when we began digging where they had buried Esther's body, not until our shovel's hit the top of the casket with a dull thud.

"Really?" I asked. "We're really ruining her grave?"

"Do you have a better idea?" he grunted as he pulled the casket from the hole.

"Not really," I shrugged.

He pulled out a tankard of gasoline and began pouring it onto the casket. He turned to the trees where a single bird was perched on the branch nearest to us. "Are you watching this, mother?" he cried. "Nothing says 'I loathe you' quite like desecrating a corpse."

I pulled my lighter out of my jeans pocket and handed it him.

"Niklaus."

We turned towards the voice and saw Elijah standing at the gate, dressed in a new suit. He turned and went into the house.

"The fuck?" I asked Klaus.

He shrugged and handed me back my lighter before following after the ghost.

"You seem troubled," Elijah said. "If I didn't know you better, I'd say you were worried."

"Well, I was worried you fuckface. What happened?" I asked.

He smiled sadly at me. "A thousand years of murder and mayhem and mother believes she can still save our souls. She wants to talk," he addressed Klaus. "Perhaps we should listen."

Klaus put an arm in front of me protectively and threw a table at Elijah and he disappeared. "Enough of the petty illusions, Esther! Where is Elijah?" he demanded.

"He's preoccupied at the moment." Lenore appeared behind us; Esther in her new body. "I'm helping him find his way, but not to worry, I'll return him to you. All I ask is that you hear me out."

"How about you let him go and leave us alone you bitch?" I growled and pounced. Mid-air she tossed me aside and I groaned as I hit the wall.

"Control your pet," Esther sneered.

Klaus stepped forward angrily, but instead of threatening his mother, helped me to my feet. "You expect me to sit through a sermon of your lies?" he asked.

"I have lied in the past to my shame, but I am going to tell you the truth," she responded. "I'm in the process of making Elijah into the man he was meant to be and I intend to do the same for you."

She paused and I began pacing like a predator stalking my prey. And I was, I was looking for a way to get to her.

"This plantation," she continued. "Ruined by fire, how sad. Not to mention symbolic. After all, you never intended to build a true home here. Even as Hayley carried your child, as Rebekah and Elijah sought to defend you, your thoughts were only focused on your conquest of the Quarter. Tell me, how did that go?"

"I'm sorry, is this some sort of motherly critique?" Klaus asked sardonically. "Please, feel free to choke on it."

She sighed. "I mention your failures only to make a point, my dear. You've endured several lifetimes of misery. Never mind the suffering you've caused others, even to your own blood. You yourself remained trapped in a perpetual state of despair. I've come to offer you a means to escape that cycle."

It was exhausting to listen to her. Klaus would never consider her offer. No matter what she promised him, he held grudges too well. I was not worried that she would sway him from his quest for Elijah because I would never have been swayed either. But still he let her carry on.

"And that's about all the hypocrisy I can take," he growled. "I suggest you give me my brother before I get angry."

"Such hatred!" Esther declared. It breaks my heart to see you like this; the boy I loved."

"Your love was a curse," he hissed. "The truth is you're no better than Mikael and like him, you've seemed to crawl back from the grave simply to ruin your own children.

I bit my lip to keep my grin to myself when I saw the shock on her face.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Klaus smirked. "The destroyer has risen; brought back to kill my by the witch Davina. Well, surely Kol has revealed everything to you or is mother's loyal little bootlicker not so loyal after all?"

"If Mikael has returned we need to deal with him," she said.

Klaus scoffed. "Is that a joke? Am I to forego centuries of hatred for my evil mother to help best the very demon she allowed to raise me?"

"I am not evil, Niklaus!" she cried. "I am your salvation. And Mikael was not always a demon. I think you have gone mad from centuries of hating your parents, but if you join me now I can grant you peace and should Mikael return with the intent to harm you, I will strike him down myself."

"That's quite an offer, but you know, I've never needed any help when it comes to killing parents," he sneered.

"You reject me out of hatred, but I have something stronger. I have the truth about your father," Esther declared. "Let's walk."

She exited the house and I turned to Klaus. "You're not one step ahead anymore, Nik. She knows all that you do. What's the play now?"

"Go home," he ordered.

"Nik!" I tried to protest.

"Liz, please, I can handle her," he said.

"Bring him home," I acquiesced and disappeared out the back while he followed his mother. I let him send me home because I trusted that he wouldn't let me down.

Back at the compound, I grew more anxious. I paced and drank and fed on several humans. I couldn't even be bothered to dispose of the bodies. Eventually Klaus did return, carrying an unconscious and bloodied Elijah. Klaus looked at me, looked at the bodies, but said nothing. I gasped when I saw the state he was in. I followed Klaus to where he laid Elijah down on our bed. I sat down on the mattress next to Elijah and gently ran my fingers through his hair.

"He'll be alright," Klaus told me. "He's stubborn."

"How can you be sure?" I asked.

"He hasn't left you yet," Klaus smirked.

I chuckled and threw a pillow at him. He ducked and ran from the room, leaving me alone with Elijah.


	33. Chapter 33

I took the time alone to remove Elijah's bloodied clothes. I dressed him in a clean shirt and pants, but he never stirred. I was too scared to leave him so I remained sitting on the bed like an undead statue despite my growing hunger and thirst for blood.

"Anything?" Klaus asked when he returned.

I shook my head.

He place one hand on Elijah's forehead and one on his chest and shut his eyes. He was trying to enter his mind; I had seen Elijah do it before. The brothers were powerful enough to push their way into someone's mind even when they were awake, but as Klaus delved into Elijah's head, his nose began to bleed and was thrown backwards.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Esther's locked me out." He sniffed, wiping the blood from his nose. He stared at his brother and then all of a sudden his face changed from frustrated to curious. He tugged at the collar of Elijah's shirt revealing a rash. "I haven't seen this in a long time. We need Merlock. The roots to be exact."

"I'll man the fort," I told him as though there was actually a thought of me leaving the room.

He was gone all day and I was left with Elijah. I curled up next to him and closed my eyes. And though he didn't know I was there, it comforted me to be near him.

"Really? This is guarding the fort?"

I woke and saw Klaus standing over us, looking like he had a rough day.

"You might want to not be next to him. I can't say I know what's going to happen," he warned.

I moved only about a foot away, remaining on the mattress. Klaus fed Elijah the roots and then tried again to enter his mind. I surmised that he succeeded because he began speaking about defeating their demons for Hope's sake. Elijah jolted forward, eyes open, with a gasp. He saw Klaus and then turned to look at me.

"Elizabetta," he breathed and wrapped me up in his arms, burying his face in my neck.

After making sure Elijah was alright, I left the house to find fresh blood. One could only drink bloodwine for so long. I drove past the city limits to a typical suburban neighborhood. Like a professional serial killer, I walked a block from where I parked before striking. The house had a car in the drive way and no toys in the yard so I knocked.

"Can I help you?" A man with dark hair opened the door.

"Invite me in," I commanded.

Unable to do any differently, he stepped aside and offered me an invitation.

"Who else is here? Kids?" I asked as I crossed the threshold.

"Just me and my wife. We don't have children," he answered obediently.

"Good," I grinned and flashed my fangs at him. Before he could scream, I sank my teeth into his neck and began draining him of his blood. It was several moments before his wife noticed something was wrong.

"Honey, who is it?" I heard her voice call just before she rounded the corner to see her husband, limp in my arms. She gasped and I dropped the body to the floor.

"Scream for me," I growled and lunged at her.

She obliged with a blood-curdling shriek that echoed off the plaster walls. It was sure to have altered the neighbors, but that was fine. I would have drained her and moved on before dispatch finished contacting the police.

I returned to home in a good mood, flushed with the fresh kill. Klaus and Elijah were eating breakfast with Finn and Kol.

"Where have you been?" Klaus demanded.

"Eating," I shrugged and wrapped my arms around Elijah's shoulders, planting a kiss on the top of his head. "What's going on?"

"Can't you recognize a family reunion?" Kol smirked.

"Reunion?" I scoffed, taking a seat. "I thought you guys were prisoners."

Klaus rolled his eyes, annoyed. "I was just getting to my point. Join us against our mother," he spoke to Finn and Kol, but mostly Kol. "Do this and we will welcome you with open arms."

"Well," Kol shrugged and reached for a cheese danish.

Elijah slid the plate towards himself, just out of Kol's reach.

"But if you continue to oppose us, a denial of pastries will be the least of your concerns," Klaus continued.

"If all you wanted was my allegiance against Mother Dearest you should have said so and saved me hours shackled to the wall," Kol complained.

"Yes, this was Niklaus," Elijah said. "My recommendation was to remove your limbs one by one until you comply."

The calm manner in which Elijah delivers his threats make him more terrifying than Klaus could ever be. Elijah looked over at me and smiled. He knew I enjoyed his power trips. Klaus chuckled and Elijah's attention was diverted, breaking our connection.

"We have no desire to torture you," he explained. "Provided you stand beside us as brothers."

"Brothers," Finn sneered. "Does that word even apply to us after all these centuries of betrayal? And is loyalty to you ever really rewarded? If so, tell me Niklaus, where is our sister, Rebekah? She was blindly loyal to you for a thousand years now is nowhere to be found. Where did our sister go and how did she escape your vile machinations?"

You could practically hear Klaus grinding his teeth. "You think me vile? Well what then do you think of the one who cursed us?"

"She was trying to make you mortal again!" Finn grew irate. "That you both refused her only proves how far you've fallen, but I expect Rebekah will have a different response to her proposal. See, unlike the two of you, Rebekah always did cling to her humanity-even if she did insist on making other beasts." He glared at me.

I growled. "If you're talking about me just say so. I'm sick of you and your mother's snide remarks and disapproval. I have been a part of this family far longer than you have, Finn!"

Kol laughed. "She has a point, mate. She's 900 years old and Klaus put you in a coffin for just as long."

Finn dismissed the remark. "This is of no consequence. Mother will convert Rebekah and then you will be outnumbered."

"Rebekah is off limits to you. You pursue her and you will suffer," Elijah threatened.

"Do not let him goad you, Elijah, neither he nor Esther will find Rebekah unless she wants to be found and she does not." Klaus grinned in satisfaction, but still, I worried.

"Esther is quite determined," Finn said. "She's been searching for Rebekah since the day she returned. I imagine it's only a matter of time."

Elijah reached across the table, grabbed Finn's tie, and pulled him towards our side so that he could tear into his neck with his fangs.

I couldn't move. I was too shocked by his loss of control and the sudden violence. Elijah should never have been taunted to easily, never would have reacted so impulsively. Klaus pulled Elijah from Finn and dragged him into the next room. I leaned back in my chair and smirked as I took a sip of my coffee. "Well that was fun."

Kol shook his head. "I had forgotten how insane you all were."

I frowned at him, furrowing my brow. "You and I were always the worst."

"Elizabetta," Elijah returned. "A moment."

"See you, boys," I blew them a kiss and went with Elijah.

I didn't understand why we were meeting Rebekah in a place as public as a highway diner, but I had decided it was better to not voice my doubts or ask questions.

"Tell me," Elijah asked the waitress as she poured our coffee. "Has anyone out of the ordinary been here today?"

"Just you," she was compelled to answer and accidently spilled some coffee on his white shirt cuff. "I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright," I tell her when Elijah doesn't respond.

He was too busy trying to rub the stain out of his shirt. He kept going over it with a napkin, but he wasn't even looking at his wrist.

I grabbed his hands to stop him. "Hey, hey. It's okay."

He put down the napkin and kept holding onto my hands. He leaned across the table and kissed my lips. It only lasted for a second and then he retreated to his side of the booth, dropping my hands. I took the opportunity to excuse myself and go to the bathroom. As I washed my hands, I realized that I was shaking. Since he had woken from Esther spell, Elijah was acting neurotic and it was making me nervous. With a deep breath, I steadied myself and exited the bathroom, rejoining the brightly lit world of the diner once more. Stepping through the door, though, I entered what must have been the twilight zone. Bodies lay strewn throughout the space. The only one left alive was our waitress who was obediently putting on more coffee. Elijah sat stoically at the table as though he hadn't moved at all.

"Are you going to leave them to rot here or do you think we should move them to the back so we don't draw to much attention?" I asked sarcastically.

Elijah stood, ready to help me move the bodies.

"Put them in the bathroom," I ordered. "We can turn on the fan and hopefully it won't smell too bad in here."

When all of them were hidden away behind the restroom door. I ordered more coffee and sat with Elijah back at our table. "So…what the fuck?"

"Loose ends," he said.

"Elijah, this isn't you," I replied through gritted teeth.

"How do you know?" he asked accusingly.

"Fine," I huffed. "How much longer?"

"I don't know," Elijah answered and plunged us into awkward silence

It was well after dark when Rebekah finally made it to the diner with Hope. She placed the carrier on the table and hugged each of us. Elijah was soon entirely consumed with the infant. He picked her up and held her. "Look at you so big; so perfect," he cooed. "I can't imagine the joy of spending every day with her. It's-"

"Quite lovely," Rebekah finished for him. "It feels so human."

"Yes," Elijah mused. "Some would argue the most human of experiences."

"I know have to give her back to Hayley when the time is right, but she's made me realize how much I want that child of my own that I can't have," she admitted.

My stomach churned, but I kept silent. The way Elijah looked at Hope made me feel sick, knowing that we could never have a child together. But Liz didn't have sentimental feelings; she was a killer. No, I tried to get Rebekah's attention while Elijah was preoccupied with Hope, but I could not communicate the danger Elijah was putting us in subtly.

"It's a lovely dream," Elijah agreed which only served to make me feel worse. "Unfortunately it's one that is just beyond our reach considering the curse of our existence."

"It seems Esther's attacking with her usual fervor," Rebekah commented.

"Yes, Mother tortured me for days with memories I thought I buried long ago," he explained. "Then she offered to make us all mortal again. You see, sister, Mother believes that by placing us in new bodies we could then reclaim some kind of purity. We can begin families of our own again, but she had not extended this offer to Elizabetta so there is no reason for me to accept. It would not wipe out a thousand years of sin anyway."

While Elijah spoke, Rebekah finally noticed the blood on his cuff.

He followed her gaze and smiled. "Not to worry; we're safe."

I watched the realization set in as she understood the faces I had been making at her this whole time. I groaned inwardly. If Elijah and Rebekah's places had been swapped, he would have understood me right away.

"Looks like this little one needs her diaper changed," she lied. "Here, my love."

Elijah handed Hope back to Rebekah and she whisked the baby away.

I stepped forward and put my arms around Elijah, linking my hands behind his neck. He grinned down at me and bent his head so that we could kiss. I could've kissed him for hours- he tasted like home. "I'm sorry," I whispered and twisted his head. I gagged at the sickening snap, but held on so that he wouldn't fall as Rebekah exited the bathroom-turned-morgue. "Ready?"

She put Hope back into the carrier and I was stuck lifting and unconscious Elijah to the car. I slid his body into the back seat next to Hope's carrier and I took shotgun.

"Here," Rebekah handed me a cellphone that was already calling another number. "Explain to Nik that Elijah's lost it. He'll tell us where to go."


	34. Chapter 34

Rebekah flitted around the safe house like she was Marth Stewart, hanging wreaths and other decorations while Elijah and I sat in awkward silence. "You're worried," he commented. "Why?"

"Because we're supposed to balance each other out and I don't like having to be the stable one," I admitted.

Rebekah popped up from the basement brandishing a bottle of wine. "Nik must have found a wine lover to keep this place up cause I found a 2005 Bordeaux. Wanna try it?" She interrupted.

"I appreciate the sentiment, Rebekah" Elijah sighed. "But I do realize when I'm being handled with kid gloves."

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Patronized," he quipped. "We came to protect you."

Rebekah frowned. "I know you meant to but-"

"Yet the two of you conspired to render me unconscious before bringing me here," he cut her off.

"We needed to get out of there," I tried defending myself. "And you-"

"I what?" he snarled.

"You weren't acting like yourself!" I shouted back. "Just like when you attacked Finn!"

Rebekah intervened by stepping in between us. "Elijah, what happened back at the diner?" she asked.

"I don't know," he admitted. "Niklaus sent me to protect Hope. My job is to keep her safe."

"Well then watch her for me, will you? I need to get firewood." Rebekah had somehow managed to calm Elijah and restore his sense of confidence and purpose.

I remained in the living room with Elijah and Hope watching as Rebekah set up a pyre in the front lawn. I didn't point out the imminent bonfire to Elijah just yet. I figured Rebekah would want to make a big announcement about it when Klaus and Hayley got here. The room was silent except for Hope's soft coos. "Are you mad at me?" I asked and the silence shattered.

He stood next to me at the window and continued to bounce Hope on his hip. "No, Elizabetta, I'm not mad." He pressed his forehead to mine and placed a soft kiss on my lips.

"Get a room!" Rebekah called walking back into the house.

Elijah chuckled and pulled away. "Is that what I think it is?"

Rebekah nodded excitedly. "It's bonfire season. I'm reviving a family tradition. Especially since we're all going to be together."

"Only because we're fleeing one of our deranged parents," Elijah commented. "Another Mikaelson family tradition."

As he spoke, a dark Range Rover pulled up to the house. I couldn't help but think that is so Klaus- the luxury wannabe offroader. Hayley sprinted from the car towards her child. Elijah dutifully gave Hope up and greeted his brother in that masculine "We're too close to shake hands, but I'm not actually gonna hug you" kind of way. Hayley passed Hope to Klaus who attentively took her in his arms. Looking at her, he smiled for what must have been the first time in months.

Klaus was the first to smash the problem-free bubble we had created. "Apparently, our mother attempted to kill my child to protect her and us from Aunt Dahlia."

I had heard the ghost story of their evil mother's evil-er sister before- several times, in fact. I immediately excused myself to help Rebekah finish building the bonfire. The sun felt warm on my skin and the air- just cool enough to require a sweater. We were far from any city and the smells and sounds that came with it. The last thing I wanted was another family shit storm to ruin my vibe.

"That's enough wood, Rebekah," Klaus commented. "You'll burn down the whole bloody state of Arkansas."

"We're just missing one key ingredient," she informed us.

"No we're not." Klaus vehemently shook his head.

"Elijah, back me up here," Rebekah whined.

"I suspect Niklaus would rather choke on the ashes," Elijah smirked.

"Well, I'm all for it!" I announced and Rebekah hugged me.

"What are you all talking about?" Hayley asked.

She had been so quiet with all her attention focused on Hope that I nearly forgot about her. I was busy reliving past bonfires before our family splintered. I quickly shooed the last thought away for something more positive.

"Well before we light it, we write down our wishes for each other to burn for luck," Rebekah explained. "It was Kol's favorite part when we were kids."

"Further evidence as to why we should ignore it," Klaus added.

"Hope's first bonfire season. I like it. We're doing it," Hayley declared.

I grinned. "I always knew she was a good one," I lied, omitting the period of time when I doubted her entire person.

Rebekah led us back inside and we all ran for separate corners in the house where we felt most comfortable. I snuggled into the couch, leaning against the arm rest to write. My letters came out unevenly because of the pen on the soft surface. I poked holes through the paper more than once and it was only a five letter word.

"What are you writing down?" Elijah asked. He put an arm around me as he sat down and pulled me towards him, forcing me to lean in the opposite direction.

I let him manipulate me until I was practically on his lap and I leaned back onto his chest. "Peace," I told him and let him view the scraggly writing.

"That tired of it all?" he chuckled.

"It's always the same," I said.

"I know, my love," he sighed and pressed his lips to my temple.

I turned awkwardly where I sat so that I could face him. I leaned up and kissed him. Both of his arms wrapped around my waist as he kissed me back. Still clutching my wish in one hand I threw my arms around his neck- determined not to let him go. It wasn't enough. Klaus cleared his throat and Elijah jumped away from me.

"Really? In the living room?" he smirked, taunting Elijah.

"Fuck you," I said.

Klaus chuckled. "Come on. Rebekah's lit the fire and she'll have all our heads if we don't burn our wishes."

I started and one by one everyone tossed a small slip of paper into the flames. That was when Hayley produced her surprise. "Guys! Look what I found!" she pulled out an old Polaroid camera. "There's even film!"

We huddled together like the family we used to be so that we could all fit in the frame. Klaus held the camera out and Hayley held hope. Elijah held onto me by wrapping his arms around my waist from behind and I smiled wider than I had in a long time. Even after we heard the shutter click we retained our pose until the camera started spitting out an image. I peered over Klaus's shoulder as the photo developed revealing what looked like a happy, normal photo. I wanted to frame it and put it on the mantle. Like a happy, normal family.

"I wish it could always be like this," Rebekah sighed.

"If wishes we're horses," Elijah said.

"Beggars would ride," Klaus finished. "You realize we have to burn it," he said about the photo. "You want me to make a wish for the family, Rebekah? I wish it didn't have to be like this, but it does. We can't risk it falling into the wrong hands."

Slowly, Hayley took the picture from Klaus and placed it on top of the fire.

"No. This isn't right!" Rebekah cried. "We deserve this! We've earned this! I won't let it slip away. I know what to do to stop Ester. I'm gonna take her deal and when I do I'm taking her down with me."


	35. Chapter 35

I stood on the balcony and watched the vampires and werewolves gather in the courtyard. Marcellus and Hayley's plan was foolishly naïve, but I wasn't getting involved. "I need to go." I said to Klaus as he stood next to me.

"Where will you go?" he sighed.

"Back."

Klaus shook his head. "You can't."

"It's not right," I whined. "I need to be there with him." It was the only thing I could think of to say because I couldn't properly express how the knowledge of Elijah's mental state was eating me up inside. I watched him consider what I was suggesting so I tried to convince him it would be alright. "Your mother can't follow me."

"If something happens..." he started.

"It won't!" I threw my arms around his neck. "I'll be careful."

It seemed to take forever to get to the safehouse. Maybe it was because I doubled back to make sure I wasn't being followed- twice. Elijah must have sensed me coming because by the time I parked and made it to the front door, he was standing on the porch. I rushed forward and threw my arms around his neck with such force he stumbled backwards as he caught me.

"Elizabetta," he breathed into my neck, clutching me to him. "What's wrong? Is it Niklaus? Have you heard from Rebekah?"

"Can't you just be glad to see me?" I chuckled. "I've reassigned myself here to be with you. That's all."

He smiled and kissed me. "Then I'm glad to see you." He ushered me inside.

Camille sat in a chair holding a glass of what was probably whiskey and Trivial Pursuit cards littered the coffee table around a baby monitor. Elijah poured me a drink and I took a seat next to him practically crawling onto his lap. He let me, keeping an arm around him.

"Ooo, I love trivia!" I cooed. I was just happy to be away from the compound.

"Okay, let's get back to it then," Camille picked up a card. "What three European countries begin with the letter A?"

"Albania, Andorra, Austria," I answered promptly. I only beat Elijah because he was busy nuzzling my ear. Egged on by Camille's look of disbelief, I continued to boast. "I could also tell you what four countries in the world begin with the letter D. I love my stupid facts."

"I only have three," Elijah frowned, counting off the countries in his head. "Denmark, the Dominican Republic, and Djibouti."  
"Zambia changed its name. It's now the Democratic Republic of the Congo," I said.

"I hate you guys." Camille began flipping rapidly through the cards trying to find one that could stump us. "Okay. Who was the only president to earn a PhD?"

"The tedious Woodrow Wilson," Elijah answered as he poured himself another drink.

I noted that they seemed to be going one for one which means Camille had to be trashed. Drunk Camille screamed fun.

"Who rode Secretariat to the Triple Crown in 1973?" she tried again.

"Ron Turcotte," Elijah answered.

"I knew that too!" I declared, determined not to be outdone.

"No! I refuse to believe that you just happen to know that!" Camille giggled and accidently spilled Elijah's drink. The whisky tipped backwards, spilling all over his forearm. "I'm sorry, Elijah," she handed him a napkin.

Elijah let go of me to sop up the alcohol on his sleeve. But he kept trying to wipe it off like the blood stain at the diner. I put my hands over his, trying to calm him. I startled him out of his trance and he grabbed my wrist, holding it away from him, but our other two hands remained clasped. His eyes were red and if we hadn't been best friends for 900 years I'd fear for my life.

"Eli, let me," I said.

With a frown, he relinquished the napkin. "I'm not as fragile as my brother suggests."

"I know." I rearranged my hands so that I held both of his between mine. I kissed his knuckles and hoped Camille saw that he was not a threat.

His phone rang and he pulled away to answer it. "Rebekah. Where on earth are you?- I see- No- I must have been dialing the wrong number- Forgive me."

"Eli?" I asked. It sounded like Rebekah wasn't where she was supposed to be and it made me nervous.

He asked me to wait for him to call Klaus. "Rebekah's gone."

I listened to hear Klaus on the other end speak. "What do you mean she's gone?"

"I just received a call from Angelica Barker who is still very much herself," Elijah explained.

"Stay where you are," Klaus ordered. "Did Liz get there?"

"Liz is here," Elijah answered.

"I'll handle it," Klaus said.

Elijah hung up the phone and looked towards Camille. "If you'll excuse us."

I followed him upstairs to his room. He said nothing, but stared out the window at the great expanse of land surrounding us. I had gathered the Rebekah was lost after changing bodies and I had no solution to offer. I reached up as I stood next to him and gently placed a hand on the back of his neck. He growled and pushed me away. Undaunted I returned to him and pressed my lips against him. Elijah kissed back and picked me up, carrying me to the bed where he laid me on my back. He crawled on top of me and trailed the kisses down my neck. I let out a sigh of bliss and let him roam around my body before pulling him back so I could meet his lips. He moved his hands under my shirt and began teasing me with love bites. I loosed his tie and tore open his shirt, running my nails down his chest. Elijah growled again and ripped off my shirt and then tugged my jeans from my hips. I laid under him, completely naked as he put his hand between my legs. I gasped as his fingers slid inside of me and as he used his thumb to rub circles against my clit, he bent his head and bit my neck. I cried out and as I hit the euphoric high from the vampire venom, I begged him to fuck me. He pulled away, licking his lips and began to remove his pants. He continued to kiss me and tease me, taking my nipples in his mouth. I begged some more and he finally entered me. I screamed and bit into his neck. He began thrusting, picking up speed and force with each thrust. I stopped drinking and began kissing him again, leaving blood smears across his mouth. Elijah picked up my leg and put it on his shoulder. He pressed deeper into me causing me to moan. My back arched as I was about to cum. With a final gasp, I tightened on him and my release poured out of me. Elijah thrusted twice more, harder than before, and came inside of me. He collapsed on top of me whispering how much he loved me into my neck.


End file.
